Defying Dana White’s Concerns, Colby Covington Confirms Big “Main Event” Return After UFC 296 Beatdown by Leon Edwards

Colby Covington talked big game but failed to deliver in his last bout againstLeon Edwards at UFC 296. The December 2023 outing was the third time the American welterweight was given a shot at the title. Despite the one-sided defeat, Covington appears eager to get back in the Octagon and made some bold claims in a recent interview.

As usual ‘Chaos’ remains unfazed by the critics. Even after Dana White, CEO of the UFC, made some brutally honest comments about his future trajectory in the sport, Covington seems to be aiming high. So what is the former interim champion’s future plan of action?

Colby Covington remains optimistic about his future

Colby Covington is 35 and competing against the tough and formidable fighters in the welterweight division is only going to get harder for him. If the stats state anything, it’s that the lower weight classes are a young man’s game. After his UFC 296 bout, even Dana White felt Covington looked a shell of his former shelf and the CEO made his feelings known.

During the post-fight interview of his last fight, White said, “I think he looked slow tonight. He got outwrestled. Leon looked good. He looked fast.” He added, “When you’re 35 years old or any age in this sport, and you’re like, ‘Yeah, I’m going to wait,’ waiting is never a good idea in this sport,” White said. “This sport doesn’t wait for anybody.”

Many share a similar opinion as White but not Covington. According to the Clovis native, he will make a successful comeback and be a main-event fighter. In an interview with Submission radio, he unveiled his plan and stated, “I’ll back be back no time by summer. I’ll be back ready to be the main event. Headline—Do the best businesses in the UFC. Some people are going to be shocked.”

However, the likelihood of Colby Covington being able to follow through on his words does not appear high—at least to White. Moreover, if he does make a return, who would it be against?

What does Covington’s UFC future look like?

There are plenty of opponents for the American welterweight. However, during the lead-up to his last bout, he poked the bear when he called out Ian Garry over his debacle with his wife. Talking to Submission Radio, he said, “If he can get through the busboy and UFC deems that to be the biggest and best business the UFC can do in the welterweight division, then let’s do it.”

Garry is set to face Geoff Neal at UFC 298 and ‘bus boy’ may have been a dig at the #8 ranked welterweight. Additionally, ‘Chaos’ also name dropped Gilbert Burns and Stephen Thompson as potential opponents. In fact, he had called out ‘Wonderboy’ at UFC 296, moments after the loss to Edwards.

Watch This Story: UFC Vegas 85: Dana White and Co. Hand Out $100K Bonus At ‘The Apex’

However, his choice of opponent puzzled many since ‘Wonderboy’ had lost earlier that night to Shavkat Rakhmonov, and rather easily at that. Many believed Covington was better off fighting the Kazakh, a win over who could very well earn him another title opportunity.

For Colby Covington, the options are plenty. He can beat top-ranked veterans or he can take on the young ones like Garry and Rakhmonov. The latter path will be a chance to prove that he can compete and defeat fighters younger than him. Until his next fight materializes, one can only sit back and see how the cards unfold.

Read more: After UFC 296 Debacle, Colby Covington Finally Breaks Silence to Snap Back at Ian Garry’s 2024 Hitlist