Colby Covington is clear. He does not want to fight the undefeated #7 ranked welterweight, Ian Garry, who has been feuding with ‘Chaos’ since he called him out at UFC 298 three months ago. Claiming that he is only looking for “legacy fights,” the outspoken Trump supporter, has instead called out former lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira. And ‘Do Bronx’ is game.

While he had earlier spoken about wanting to fight Conor McGregor (undoubtedly to get his own ‘red-panty night’), he seems to have moved on and is looking for other, equally green pastures. While the fact that Covington fights at 170 pounds, and the Brazilian at 155 pounds is the most obvious challenge standing in the way of a future clash. There is another major factor that may prevent the bout: Dana White and the UFC. Oliveira spoke about all this and more in a recent media appearance.

Charles Oliveira is willing to fight Covington if UFC is on board

Charles Oliveira is coming off of a tough split decision loss to Arman Tsarukyan in their title eliminator on UFC 300 this April. Out of the title picture for the time being, ‘Do Bronx’, like Covington, is looking for fights that would strengthen his legacy (and make him a lot of money) as a fight against ‘Chaos’, a superstar, would.

“Man in reality it’s like I said, it’s sitting down and looking at legacy, history, values… When I woke up in the morning, thousands of people were sending me messages [to fight Covington]… I said ‘Diego, just sit down, talk, see what’s good, see what the UFC thinks about it… It’s not just what Charles thinks, it’s about what the UFC thinks about it,” he said.

On being asked if he would be willing to move up to welterweight (and thus give Covington an inherent advantage) to face the loud-mouthed California native. If the UFC agrees to it, that is (which it is unlikely to do as it would complicate things when there are good fights to be had both men at their respective divisions).

“[Colby] is a talkative guy, he’s a guy who talks a lot, so let’s see. Why not?… For sure [I would move up to 170 pounds]. If it makes sense, if it’s something good for me, why not?” he added. While Oliveira has accepted Covington’s challenge and is even willing to give up his division, many have questioned why Covington wants to fight Oliveira.

Why does Covington want to fight ‘Do Bronx’?

Colby Covington had a terrible showing the last time he entered the octagon. The American faced soft-spoken world-class striker and welterweight champion Leon Edwards at UFC 296 last December in what was most probably his last shot at becoming undisputed champion.

And so disappointing was ‘Chaos’s performance that Donald Trump, who was present ring-side to support one of his strongest supporters, walked out halfway through the Covington’s post-fight speech. In addition, the 36-year-old is getting up in age, is coming off three losses in his last five fights, and has suffered a general decline in his fighting abilities.

Currently ranked #4 in the welterweight rankings, the California native can only fight other top 10 contenders in the division. And the top-heavy UFC welterweight division is full of strong contenders (like Garry, Shavkat Rakhmonov, and Jack Della Maddalena), who are on an uptick along with being younger and hungrier than ‘Chaos’. This is why a fight against Oliveira, another superstar, and against whom he would have an advantage, makes so much sense to Covington.