UFC president Dana White revealed Colby Covington is ready to return to the octagon.
Former interim UFC welterweight champion Covington has remained out of action since his last outing against rival Jorge Masvidal in March at UFC 272. Covington came out on top of the contest in a dominant fashion as he scored a clean sweep on the judges’ scorecards. There was a lot of trash talk in the build-up to the bout as the dispute between the best friends turned enemies grew more bitter.
While many had hoped they would settle their differences inside the cage, Masvidal and Covington made it clear their rivalry was far from over.
Following the win, Covington made an appearance on the “Full Send” podcast and went to dinner with the hosts Nelk Boys at a popular steak restaurant in Miami. Things got chaotic for “Chaos” when Masvidal showed up at the location. The two allegedly got into a physical altercation, with Masvidal getting charged with aggravated battery.
Covington kept an unusually low profile after the incident. Considering the ongoing legal matters and the extent of the injuries he claimed, it appeared unlikely that the 34-year-old Oregan native would be back to fighting anytime soon.
At “Dana White’s Contender Series” post-fight press conference, White revealed that the promotion was working on Covington’s return.
“Yeah, Colby wants to fight,” White said. “He’s ready to fight, and we are making plans for him here soon.”
Covington Was Rallying for a Bout With Dustin Poirier
During the UFC 272 post-fight octagon interview, Covington called for a matchup with a former teammate at American Top Team, Dustin Poirier next. They had exchanged verbal jabs at each other in the past, taking shots below the belt.
Poirier, a traditional lightweight, indicated a desire to move up a weight class to 170 lbs after a second failed title shot against Charles Oliveira last Dec. at UFC 269.
White did not seem too excited about the prospect and explained how it could complicate things further.
“You fight Poirier, then what? He has to go in some type of direction,” White said via SCMP. “Does he go to [lightweight]? Does he go up to [middleweight]? Does he keep knocking guys off at [welterweight] and I eventually say, ‘OK, he is ready for a title again’?”
White Is Willing To Give Covington Another Title Shot
Covington challenged the former welterweight champion and pound-for-pound king, Kamaru Usman, on two occasions. Usman handily dispatched Covington in their first outing with a knockout in the fifth round. Their second encounter was more competitive but Usman secured a decisive unanimous decision win.
Having lost out on two title opportunities, it seemed unlikely Covington would get another shot anytime soon. White had previously spoken about the puzzling situation and expressed his willingness to give Covington another chance if warranted.
“The thing is too is that after a while no matter how much you hate [Covington], you’ve at least got to respect him,” White said via The Mac Life. “The guy keeps winning fights and he’s a tough dude. I don’t know if I’ve had any bad words to say about him,” White continued when asked about past criticism of Covington. “I said he’s an a******. He’s an a******. Anybody disagree with that? He would probably even agree with that. No, I respect the kid.”
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Dana White Confirms Plans for Colby Covington’s UFC Return