Colby Covington is back to his trash-talking antics and this time he’s aimed at Shavkat Rakhmonov! ‘Chaos’, a former interim welterweight champion, has been out of action since his loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 296 in 2023.
The fight was his third unsuccessful attempt to win the undisputed 170 lbs. title. In the time he’s been away, the welterweight division has got a new champion in Belal Muhammad!
At UFC 304, Muhammad etched his name in the history books by dominating Edwards and winning a unanimous decision to become the first UFC champion of Palestinian descent. After the fight, he received a call-out from Rakhmonov and the newly crowned champion didn’t back down. But according to Covington, he isn’t really impressed with ‘Nomad’s record and title opportunity as he fired off in his trademark manner!
Colby Covington claims Shavkat Rakhmonov built his record against “nobodies”
Shavkat Rakhmonov is currently ranked no.3 in the UFC’s welterweight division and boasts an eye-catching 18-0 professional MMA record with all of his wins inside the Octagon coming via a finish. Rakhmonov is a serious threat in the cage with an impressive 83% submission rate and 17% KO/TKO rate, according to Tapology. But Colby Covington isn’t convinced.
‘Chaos’ isn’t buying into the hype surrounding ‘Nomad’ and doesn’t believe that the undefeated contender deserves a shot at the welterweight title. In a recent conversation with Submission Radio, Chaos stated, “I don’t think anything special of Sh*trat you know. I think that, the way he fights, you know, he fights very tall, very high up, chin up in the air, he almost got knocked out by the bus boy…that’s serving blooming onions Geoff Neal, so you know, he got exposed that fight. And then you know, he fought number nine, Wonderboy last fight. I don’t know how that warrants the title shot.”
When touching upon the topic of Rakhmonov’s spotless record and finishing prowess inside the Octagon, Covington didn’t mince his words as he claimed, “But, I don’t know, he’s finished a lot of nobodies, some jabronies from the amateur Indian casinos, but you know he hasn’t fought, you know, top contenders yet. So I don’t know what to expect for him.”
Covington’s comments really spice things up in the welterweight division. His dismissive attitude toward Rakhmonov’s record and potential title shot hints at some fierce battles and intense rivalries on the horizon. But here’s the kicker: even though Covington is ranked no. 4, he’s had multiple losses in title fights. That’s why, according to Daniel Cormier, ‘Chaos’ isn’t exactly in a position to be calling the shots for his next UFC matchup!
Daniel Cormier claims Covington is in a precarious situation
After his UFC 296 loss against Leon Edwards, Colby Covington had revealed that he suffered a broken foot early in the first round that impacted his performance and has kept him from returning to action. With Belal Muhammad now the new champ and possibly facing Shavkat Rakhmonov next, Covington might need to rethink his place in the division and what fights he’ll take on.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, former ‘champ-champ’ Daniel Cormier put it bluntly, “Colby can’t say or try to determine who gets a title fight right now because of the way he lost to Leon Edwards and the way he fought. It seems like he’s unwilling to fight Ian Garry. I think he should maybe step back and just not really say much at all until another fight comes his way.”
In conclusion, as the welterweight division heats up with new champions and rising contenders, Covington’s role remains uncertain. His trash talk may keep him in the spotlight, but actions inside the Octagon will ultimately determine his future in the UFC.