Colby Covington will have plenty of time to lick his proverbial wounds in the wake of his defeat to Kamaru Usman in the UFC 245 headliner last weekend, after he was issued with a six-month medical suspension following the fight.
The brash Covington complained to his corner following the third round that he felt his jaw had been broken by Usman, likely the result of a stinging right hand landed by the champion, but nonetheless fought until late into the final round, where he was stopped via strikes with 50 seconds remaining on the clock.
Also on rt.com UFC 245: Kamaru Usman stops Colby Covington in five-round welterweight championship classic (VIDEO)After the fight, it was revealed the he had suffered a nondisplaced midline mandibular fracture - something that he must have evaluated by a medical professional before he can compete again.
As it stands, Covington faces a period of six months on the sidelines after the Nevada State Athletic Commission released its list of medical suspensions on Monday.
Covington, who was briefly hospitalized following the fight, is also technically prohibited from any contact training until January 29 and from competition until February 13, although the time required to get his jaw medically cleared will certainly extend far beyond both those dates.
Also on rt.com From trash talk to broken jaw: What next for UFC loudmouth Colby Covington?Kamaru Usman, meanwhile, may face a similar wait as he will require an orthopedic doctor's clearance on a damaged thumb he sustained in the fight. Until that clearance arrives, Usman will also be prohibited from fighting until June.
Newly crowned featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski also faces a similar wait, owing to an injury he sustained to his right hand in his title-winning performance against Max Holloway.