- Colby Covington is open to the idea of moving up to the middleweight division
- “Chaos” thinks he could beat Alex Pereira without breaking a sweat
Colby Covington sent shockwaves through the UFC when he showed up as an official backup fighter at UFC 286. UFC president Dana White is lining him up to become Leon Edwards’ next title challenger, but apart from the welterweight division, “Chaos” is also open to a move to middleweight.
Not a weight bully
Speaking to James Lynch, Covington said a potential move to the 185-pound division is one of the things he had talked about with the UFC. According to the two-time title challenger, he could drop down to lightweight but he doesn’t want to torture his body by depleting it. On the other hand, bulking up a bit to become a middleweight is much better.
“Those were some things that I talked about with the UFC behind scenes. I would have loved to try and make 155 but I don’t want to do it to my body. It’s not worth it so that’s a door that’s just never gonna happen. If there was something like a 160 or a 162, I think that’s a realistic way I can make you know, 161 but that extra five pounds of water that you’d be draining from my body and brain, I’m just not going to do it to go to 55 and I don’t have to do it, I’m not a weight bully and that’s the whole thing with these guys that are weight bullies like Khamzat, he’s a weight bully. He’s looking for cut 40, 50 pounds. If I got 40, 50 pounds [cut] I’ll be fighting you know, Henry’s Cejudo and Aljamain Sterling but you know, I’m not a weight bully, I don’t need to do that. I’ll fight at near my natural weight class and that’s going to be that but 85 is more realistic. I’m willing to go in 85 you know because that’s right around where Iwalk around: 85. 90,” Covington explained.
Middleweights and their champ are easy
What’s even more interesting, Covington revealed that he has been sparring with middleweights for quite some time and figured they were easy opponents. He is even confident he could easily ground and pound reigning middleweight champion Alex Pereira.
“I used to train with middleweights all the time because I wanted to get a feel for going with bigger guys… and every time the 85ers, they were so easy to fight because like they’re so much slower and they throw heavier punches so like they wear out easier and just like they just overcommit theirselves on punches and it’s just easier to take them down and submit them or finish them on the ground so you know, I would love to go to 85,” he continued.
“And Pereira is an easy matchup like if I fight that guy I’m gonna put him on the ground and beat the sh*t out of him, break his will and do what I do to Brazilians because I’m the king of Brazil,” he concluded.
Though White has already given Covington the green light to face Edwards, “Rocky, meanwhile, doesn’t fancy facing “Chaos.”
Covington managed to return to the win column after beating Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272 via decision. However, it is yet to be determined who will he fight next should Edwards opt to turn him down.
As for Pereira, the Brazilian is set for a thrilling rematch with Israel Adesanya at UFC 287.
