Colby Covington Back on the Wrestling Mats: from the Tsarukyan Clash to Gilbert Burns Talks
Evaluating Covington's wrestling effectiveness requires analyzing the clash between folkstyle vs freestyle wrestling rulesets. In folkstyle, the bottom wrestler actively searches for escapes and reversals, while the top wrestler works to secure control points and riding time. This environment bred Covington’s instinct to smother opponents along the perimeter.
Freestyle wrestling operates on explosiveness, gut wrenches, and rolling exposures. When American folkstyle practitioners face pure international freestyle wrestlers, stylistic friction emerges. Freestyle wrestlers initiate attacks from greater distances and excel at lightning-quick leg attacks, whereas folkstyle wrestlers thrive in the clinch.
The legendary Kamaru Usman wrestling rivalry illuminated these nuances. In their initial 2019 encounter, neither athlete attempted a single takedown across five ferocious rounds because their defensive skills neutralized one another. In their 2021 rematch, Covington scored takedowns through sustained persistence, proving that collegiate grit can penetrate even the stoutest defensive barriers.
