Colby Covington Responds to Islam Makhachev’s Dominant UFC 322 Title Victory

Colby Covington has publicly acknowledged Islam Makhachev following his recent title victory. Makhachev secured the UFC welterweight title after a decisive win against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322, which took place on a Saturday. This victory marks Makhachev’s achievement as a two-division champion.

Covington’s Impressions on Makhachev’s Performance

During an interaction with media personality The Schmo, Covington expressed his surprise at the outcome of the fight. He initially believed Della Maddalena, being the larger fighter, would overpower Makhachev. Covington stated, “Hats off to him. He implemented his game plan and was really just able to control the fight the whole time.”

Covington’s Career Outlook

Colby Covington has been sidelined for nearly a year, following a stoppage defeat to Joaquin Buckley at UFC Tampa last December. The 37-year-old fighter has faced challenges, losing two consecutive matches and three out of his last four bouts. Looking ahead, Covington expressed his desire to return to the octagon at the UFC White House event scheduled for June, with hopes to compete even earlier in January or February.

Strategies Against Makhachev

When discussing strategies on how to challenge Makhachev, Covington conveyed insights on effective game plans. He noted the importance of stifling Makhachev’s takedown attempts, similar to how Alexander Volkanovski performed in their first encounter. He mentioned, “You’re going to have to stuff his takedowns and make him work.”

Potential Matchups for the New Champion

Covington suggested Ilia Topuria as a formidable matchup for Makhachev. He believes this fight is essential due to Topuria’s skills, stating, “Topuria has a low center of gravity, so he’s going to be very hard to take down.” Covington hopes for this matchup to happen, although he acknowledged the potential challenges in moving up to 170 pounds, given the size advantage opponents might have at that weight class. He concluded, “I think 155 makes the most sense.”