Like the phoenix of ancient lore, a UFC fighter’s path back from consecutive defeats often requires death and rebirth of sorts – a complete immolation of old habits and assumptions.  The history of combat sports is rich with tales of resurrection, where fighters like Dominick Cruz and Randy Couture have risen from the depths of the underworld have clawed their way back to glory. But can the same be said for Colby Covington? After a string of setbacks, the future is looking gloomy for the interim 170lbs champ.

However, he may have a chance to bounce back and change his destiny for good. A potential showdown between Covington and Gilbert Burns sounds intriguing on paper—but will it be a thrilling battle or an underwhelming contest? Both fighters are currently struggling, making this a crucial fight for their careers. ‘Chaos’ currently sits at #9 in the rankings but is coming off back-to-back losses. Meanwhile, #8-ranked Burns is in an even tougher spot, suffering three consecutive defeats.

With both men in a slump, this fight could be a pivotal moment to turn things around. However, the primary concern surrounding this matchup is Covington’s recent form and durability. However, veteran MMA referee ‘Big’ John McCarthy and his co-host Josh Thomson recently revisited the idea of Covington vs. Burns on their ‘Weighing In’ podcast. He said, “That’s a good match, that’s the one I would like to see. I would love to see Colby in that fight. I’d like to see Gilbert. Colby’s got, you know, things that he’s good at that he’s [Colby] got to be careful with based upon the guy that he’s going to be matched up with.”

He then highlighted the challenges Covington would face against Burns, “The talent level of the grappling of Gilbert, as far as submission wise—that’s tough to take down and control the whole time. But I think that’s a fight that anybody would wanna see.” 

Furthermore, Thomson expressed his interest in watching this matchup. The former 155fer highlighted the difference between the duo on the feet. To this, ‘Big’ John added, “Well, the big difference here is. They both are good on the ground. They have a different way of going about it. But Gilbert’s got way more power than Colby. He’s faster than Colby and he hits harder. So, Colby’s gonna have to be careful on the feet!”

Covington’s one-sided loss to Joaquin Buckley at UFC Tampa left him with a brutal cut above his eyelid, causing an unfortunate doctor’s stoppage. This is when ‘Big’ John first spoke about Covington’s decline. McCarthy broke down what he saw in Covington’s fight against ‘New Mansa, “There was a couple of things in that fight, watching it. First off, Colby took an a-s whooping. He showed he’s a tough human being, he’s a tough man, he doesn’t fu—ng whine during the fight.”

McCarthy also dismissed Chael Sonnen’s suggestion that Covington was close to winning the fight. Meanwhile, Covington got hold of a controversial reason to move forward and call out the Brazilian. But what was it about? Let’s find out!

What happened between Colby Covington and Gilbert Burns?

After Colby Covington called out Gilbert Burns, a photo of the two fighters circulated online, showing them together after a concert at the Hard Rock Café in Miami. Covington made light of the situation, claiming that Burns was “the biggest fan.” However, Burns had a different recollection of the encounter.

On the Show Me The Money podcast, he set the record straight, “You know, that happened – just not the way that he’s saying,” Burns said. “It was a Brazilian concert and it was 3 years ago. As I was walking off, it was Covington who called me over. He called me like ‘come here, come here,’ and I was ready already [to fight], you know? I was ready if something happened, but then, bro, this guy is so fake, bro.”

The tension didn’t end there. Covington also accused Burns of leaking Chael Sonnen’s personal number, which only fueled the animosity between the two. Covington was enraged, and during an interview, he fired back, “That’s messed up, Gilbert did that to Uncle Chael. I told Uncle Chael, ‘If you want me to handle that inside the Octagon, I’ll get justice for us. I’ll make sure Gilbert never shows his face in America again after I beat him so badly.'”

At 36 years old, Covington’s window for establishing himself as a title contender is closing fast. To re-enter the title conversation, Covington would likely need a streak of consecutive wins, which could push him closer to 40 years old—a challenging task for any fighter. What do you think lies ahead for Colby Covington? Let us know your thoughts!