'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Colby 'Chaos' Covington is one of the UFC's top welterweights and arguably the most polarizing fighter in the sport. The former interim UFC welterweight champion recently challenged the reigning UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in an enthalling rematch. Covington took Usman to the limit in their first encounter at UFC 245, and did the same again at UFC 268.
Now, with back-to-back losses to the champion, Covington is in an interesting position in his career. He is clearly still one of the top welterweights, but finds himself in a unique spot.
'Chaos' has a number of options available to him with regard to his next fight. It remains to be seen whether he will pursue potentially lucrative offers, or whether he looks to get back into title contention. This list will look at 5 possible opponents for Colby Covington when he returns to the octagon.
#5. Colby Covington vs. Gilbert Burns
Kicking off this list of possible opponents for Colby Covington is former title-challenger Gilbert Burns. If Covington wants to get back on track as far as the rankings are concerned, a fight with Burns would do just that. Burns is currently the second-ranked welterweight in the UFC, so a win would help Covington maintain his top spot in the rankings.
Burns is coming off a unanimous decision win over Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson at UFC 264. Burns did what he needed to do to secure his victory over 'Wonderboy'. However, it wasn't the most exciting fight.
Since moving up to welterweight in 2019, Burns has performed well and has enjoyed great success. 'Durinho' is 5-1 since moving up to 170 lbs, with his only loss coming against the champion, Kamaru Usman.
An impressive win over Covington could get Burns another title shot, and vice-versa. The Brazilian has expressed his desire to fight Covington on multiple occasions. There's definitely animosity between the two which will come into play and sell the fight to fans.
#4. Colby Covington vs. Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson
Another opponent that makes sense for Colby Covington in the top-5 of the UFC welterweight rankings is Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson. If a bout with Gilbert Burns doesn't come to fruition, a bout with Thompson would be an appealing matchup.
Thompson is currently the fifth-ranked welterweight and is scheduled to fight Belal Muhammad at a Fight Night event next month. If Thompson picks up the win, it could set him up for a bout with Covington. This would be significant for 'Wonderboy' because a win over both fighters could propel him to a title shot against Kamaru Usman.
Thompson's unanimous decision loss to Gilbert Burns at UFC 264 derailed his title aspirations for the moment. Prior to the loss to Burns, 'Wonderboy' was on a two-fight winning streak that included wins over Vicente Luque and Geoff Neal. Covington has bashed Thompson's fighting style in previous interviews, so it won't be hard for 'Wonderboy' to find motivation.
#3. Colby Covington vs. Dustin Poirier
If Covington chooses to pursue lucrative fights instead of one with implications on the rankings, Dustin Poirier would make sense. There's bad blood between the former American Top Team teammates and both haven't shied away from sharing how they feel about one another.
Poirier has his hands full at lightweight at the moment as he'll be challenging Charles Oliveira for the UFC lightweight championship at UFC 269. But, Poirier moving up to welterweight for a showdown against Covington shouldn't be ruled out.
Following his loss to Usman at UFC 268, Covington addressed whether he'd move down to 155lbs to fight Poirier. Covington mentioned that when both he and Poirier trained together at ATT, Poirier weighed more than him. This makes things interesting because there wouldn't be a significant size advantage if the two were to fight in the octagon.
Poirier is coming off back-to-back wins over Conor McGregor which surely earned him a significant payday. 'The Diamond' could take advantage of the animosity with Covington and move up to welterweight for another lucrative fight. Poirier-Covington would be a fun fight to watch regardless of whether Poirier defeats Oliveira for the lightweight title or not.
#2. Colby Covington vs. Leon Edwards
Third-ranked welterweight Leon Edwards would be a great opponent for Colby Covington. It's crazy to think that Edwards has yet to receive a title shot after the run he's been on.
Edwards hasn't lost in 10 fights with his last defeat coming against the current champion Kamaru Usman back in 2015. Aside from an eye-poke that resulted in his bout with Belal Muhammad being ruled a no-contest, Edwards has won 9 fights.
Edwards' most recent win came at UFC 263, where he defeated Nate Diaz by unanimous decision. Both Edwards and Covington have been top welterweight contenders for quite some time. Having said that, it's surprising that they haven't been matched up yet.
Fighting Diaz was a great opportunity for Edwards because Diaz is a big draw in the sport. The win over Diaz garnered a lot of attention and reminder why he is a top welterweight in the UFC.
The two have gone back-and-forth and spoken about each other in past interviews, however, nothing has ever materialized. If Edwards doesn't get the next title shot, a bout with Covington would help get him there. If Edwards defeats Covington, he could get an opportunity to avenge his loss to Usman.
#1. Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal
Topping this list of possible opponents for Colby Covington is Jorge Masvidal. It's safe to say that the former ATT teammates don't think very highly of one another. Covington has dismissed Masvidal's skills and labeled him a "journeyman."
With Masvidal being forced to pull out of his bout with Leon Edwards, a bout with Covington makes the most sense. Both fighters are coming off a loss to UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. With both needing a win to get back on track, now would be the perfect time to book Covington-Masvidal.
The press conference alone would be a spectacle in itself and the fight would be lucrative for all involved. Both fighters are proven to be huge draws and the animosity between them could see the UFC generate massive pay-per-view revenue. Based on his performances in both title fights against Usman, Covington would likely be the betting favorite against Masvidal.
