Earned…? ‘No One Gave Me This Spot To Fight For The Undisputed Title’

Colby Covington is back in the Welterweight title picture in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

It’s been nearly two full years since Covington stepped foot in the Octagon for his blood feud with former teammate and best friend, Jorge Masvidal, at UFC 272 in March 2022. “Chaos” walked away victorious in the five-round affair, defeating “Gamebred” via a lopsided unanimous decision. The most eventful thing that came from the fight was the lawsuit between the two later that month that saw Masvidal assault Covington outside a Miami, Florida steakhouse. The case has since been resolved, leaving both to go on their merry ways … for now.

Despite his lack of activity and alternating of wins and losses in his last four fights, Covington will return for his third career undisputed title fight against reigning champion, Leon Edwards, in the main event of UFC 296 in Las Vegas on Dec. 16, 2023. In Covington’s absence, Edwards dethroned the man Covington couldn’t overcome in his two previous title bids, Kamaru Usman (watch highlights).

“He had the right matchups at the right time to get to that point in his career,” Covington told UFC.com of Edwards. “He fought a Lightweight washout in Nate Diaz and sat out almost two years to get his title shot. I don’t think he warranted getting a title shot after beating that guy.

“He just cried, ‘I deserve this, I deserve that,’ instead of just going out there and working for it or earning it like I did,” he continued. “I had to earn it the hard way. No one gave me this spot to fight for the undisputed title. I had to earn it. I had to go the unconventional way because the straight-ahead way wasn’t available. He didn’t earn it the hard way like I did, and December 16 he’s going to find out that he’s going to get broken by the American dream.”

Edwards has fought and successfully defended his title once since becoming champion in August 2022. In doing so, he once again held off Usman, winning a majority decision at UFC 286 in March 2023.

Covington’s willingness to play the back-up fighter for the Edwards vs. Usman trilogy in London, England was seemingly a big factor in his upcoming title shot. However, according to the Clovis, California-born wrestler, it hasn’t been for a lack of trying to compete.

“This sitting out bulls—t has been tough because I’ve wanted to fight,” Covington said. “Every fight I’ve accepted. Against Khamzat Chimaev, Dustin Poirier, and some other guys in the division that the UFC were trying to match up, but they didn’t want to fight. It just made me hungrier and it made me realize how much I love this sport. I don’t feel alive until I’m in that UFC Octagon. That’s when I feel the most alive in my life and I feel like that’s the true meaning.”