Midnight Mania! ‘I Don’t Know That We See Colby Covington Again’

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Welcome to Midnight Mania!

UFC 296 was not a good night for Colby Covington.

“Chaos” talked a whole lot of trash in the lead up, crossing far beyond lines most athletes wouldn’t touch at all opposite Welterweight champion Leon Edwards. Winning would’ve likely earned Covington a fair bit of forgiveness and goodwill, and even going out on his shield and losing a close battle like the pair of Kamaru Usman contests would’ve saved some face.

Instead, Covington looked rusty, old, and hesitant. He didn’t push the pace or even try particularly hard to win, then he mouthed off in the aftermath. The fighting world is kicking him while he’s down, and to be frank … it feels deserved.

The question now is what’s next? “Chaos” promised a more active schedule and quick return in 2024, and he angled for a fight opposite Stephen Thompson. Rising contender Shavkat Rakhmonov’s name was always mentioned as a possibility. There are options, but UFC analyst Chael Sonnen wonders if this “Rocky” defeat signals the end of Colby Covington’s time as an active UFC fighter.

“I love your suggestion of Rakhmonov. I’m just not sure Dana will even make that suggestion to Colby,” Sonnen said after UFC 296 (via MMAJunkie). “What I worry about is will he take it? I don’t know where his heart is at. To go up that mountain as many times as he did. Colby’s career is a riddle.

“He’s had three world title fights, he was an interim champion, he never lost, he woke up one day, he wasn’t the interim champion. He fought the reigning ‘BMF’ champion, dominated him, and never became ‘BMF’ champion. I think that there’s some real frustrations. I just don’t know if he wants to start over. That’s the hard truth. I don’t know that we see Colby Covington again.”

If Covington does return, it’ll be a long road back to the top.

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