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What’s Next For Colby Covington?

Originally posted on BoxingNews.com | Last updated Jul 4, 2025 1:45 AM ET

Colby Covington wants a big fight for his next UFC bout despite a run that has seen him suffer three losses in his last four octagon appearances.

Covington’s recent setbacks include a unanimous decision loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 296 for the UFC Welterweight Title. Covington blamed a foot injury for his poor performance, a reason that many dismissed, believing he was simply outclassed. His most recent outing was a TKO loss to Joaquin Buckley at UFC Tampa.

Covington Reacts

A cut above Covington’s eye in the third round led to the doctor’s stoppage. Covington’s last UFC win dates back to 2022, when he defeated Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272. Despite his recent form, Covington has set his sights on the big names, namely Paddy Pimblett. Pimblett competes at lightweight, below Covington’s welterweight class. However, that was Covington’s focus.

“I’m not done with the UFC. I still have some unfinished business, but I want big fights. High-level, first-ballot Hall-of-Famer type fights. Legacy fights. I think the Paddy Pimblett fight is interesting. He’s got a little bit of a name right now, but only because he’s got an English accent and a bowl cut. He’s actually bigger than me, he’s a weight bully. He cuts a lot of weight,” Covington said

Options

If the Pimblett fight does not happen, Covington has other possible alternatives. One option is Ian Machado Garry. The pair have exchanged verbals previously, with Covington accusing Garry of ducking a fight. Covington has also made comments about Garry’s wife. The latter is coming off a win against Carlos Prates, which was the perfect response following his sole loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov.

There are also possible fights against Michael Chiesa or Kevin Holland. Covington is coming off two losses (Leon Edwards and Joaquin Buckley). Fighting a lower-ranked fighter allows him to regain momentum without immediately throwing himself against a leading contender. Chiesa has won his last three fights, beating Tony Ferguson, Max Griffin and Court McGee. Meanwhile, Holland is on a two-fight win streak with wins against Gunnar Nelson and Vicente Luque. While those two may not be the biggest names, it is vital that Covington gets back to winning ways.

This article first appeared on BoxingNews.com and was syndicated with permission.

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