Colby Covington has spent years chasing UFC gold, fighting for the undisputed welterweight title three times, but falling short against Kamaru Usman twice and Leon Edwards. Despite setbacks, the former interim champ remains as confident as ever, believing he has the skill set to take out current champion Belal Muhammad.
Covington’s Road Back to the Title
Since claiming the interim title in 2018, Covington has drifted further from championship contention. His most recent fight, a UFC Tampa showdown against Joaquin Buckley, ended in a doctor’s stoppage due to a cut over his eye, dropping him to #9 in the welterweight rankings.
While some see Covington’s championship window closing, the outspoken fighter disagrees. Fresh off his 37th birthday, he’s adamant that he still has what it takes to reach the top.
“If I wanna climb the ranks and be champion again, I will be champion,” Covington said during an appearance on Digital Social Hour. “My last fight was an early stoppage. It was a little cut that I had over my eye. I was gonna win the fight.”
Calling Out the Champ
Although he has work to do before another title shot is realistic, Covington is already eyeing Muhammad as a favorable matchup. Never one to hold back, he also accused Muhammad of making racially charged comments about him.
“If I wanna be the champion, the guy that’s champion right now is a good matchup for me. You can’t beat me anywhere,” Covington declared.
The rivalry between the two welterweights escalated when Covington referenced a since-deleted tweet from Muhammad. In response to a question about Covington getting a title fight against Leon Edwards at UFC 296, Muhammad allegedly wrote, “He’s white.”
“Belal ‘Remember the Racist.’ He said the only reason I got my last title fight was because of the color of my skin—’white privilege.’ People still play that card,” Covington remarked.
Will Covington Get Another Shot?
For now, Covington must rebuild his path to the title. With several dangerous contenders ahead of him in the rankings, his journey won’t be easy. However, if there’s one thing Covington is known for—besides his trash talk—it’s his relentless drive to fight his way back to the top.
Only time will tell if he can turn his words into action and finally claim the undisputed UFC welterweight championship.
