Getty Colby Covington in June 2017.
There are three fights top-ranked UFC welterweight Colby Covington should consider if he want another crack at 170-pound champion Kamaru Usman.
In a recent interview with ESPN, Usman mentioned three of the names he’d like to see Covington face off against before “Chaos” receives a third title fight.
Specifically, “The Nigerian Nightmare” wants Covington to fight Gilbert Burns, Vicente Luque and Khamzat Chimaev.
“Right now it doesn’t make sense. Go out there and sell yourself,” Usman said via BJPenn.com. “There’s a guy in the division that everyone is kinda giving all this hoopla about, so go out there. There’s a couple more fights you need to take on – you haven’t fought Gilbert Burns, you haven’t fought Vicente Luque, you haven’t fought Chimaev. So, yeah, go out there and get a couple of wins. Then, continue to sell yourself, and you can stake that claim and people won’t deny you.”
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All 3 Fighters Are Currently Booked to Compete in April
The three names Usman put forward all have a fight date coming up. Burns and Chimaev will battle at UFC 273 on April 9, 2022. Burns is currently ranked No. 2 at welterweight, and “Borz” holds the No. 11 spot.
No. 4 welterweight Luque is slated to fight No. 5 Belal Muhammad a week later.
Covington is the No. 1-ranked UFC welterweight, and considering The Nigerian Nightmare has been linked to Leon Edwards for a bout later this year, the winner of either of those two fights would be a fantastic opponent for Covington.
Besides Masvidal, Covington does not hold a win over a top-15 ranked welterweight. So, pitting him against a top-tier 170 pounder is necessary at this point, considering he wants to work his way to a title.
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Covington Called Out Dustin Poirier After His Win Last Weekend
One fighter The Nigerian Nightmare didn’t mention was Dustin Poirier. Poirier, who is ranked No. 2 at lightweight, was challenged by Covington after the UFC 272 main event concluded.
Speaking with Joe Rogan in the middle of the Octagon, Covington called out his former teammate and friend. “Now onto business, Joe,” Covington said via Essentially Sports. “I just took care of Miami street trash. Now it’s time to take care of Louisiana swamp trash! Where you at Dustin Poirier, you c***. You said it’s on sight. Name the site, Dustin. Bring that j***bel of a wife and bring that little kid… and I’ll see you soon. You’re next!”
However, UFC president Dana White isn’t sure where a win over Poirier would take Covington, especially if he wants to fight The Nigerian Nightmare again.
“I don’t know, he’s in a very weird situation having lost to Usman twice,” White said during the post-fight presser via MMA Fighting. “Usman’s lapping everybody. I don’t know, we’ve got to see what’s next and talk to Colby and see what he really wants to do. You fight Poirier and then what? He has to go in some type of direction whether he’s gonna go to ‘55 and fight at—I don’t know, we gotta talk.”
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