Colby Covington is still interested in welcoming former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira to welterweight.
Oliveira (34-10 MMA, 22-10 UFC) mentioned the possibility of moving up to 170 pounds after losing a split decision to Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300 in April. That prompted Covington (17-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) to call him out, and Oliveira said he’d be open to it.
Covington’s callout of Oliveira didn’t gather much steam, but he doubled down on his interest after dismissing Ian Machado Garry.
“It’s still a potential fight,” Covington told Submission Radio of Oliveira. “The UFC hasn’t shown much interest with it, but if you look at the landscape and what he said in his recent interview, that he wants to go up a weight to 170, he’s a big guy. He’s taller than me. He weighs more than me.
“The guy’s just a weight bully cutting to 155 because he wants to be stronger in there because he doesn’t have a mental edge. He’s mentally weak, so he needs to have a physical edge. He needs to be the bigger guy in the fight to feel confident going into a fight.”
Covington is coming off a title loss to welterweight champion Leon Edwards at UFC 296. He’s eyeing a big name for his next bout but doubts Oliveira fights him.
“He’s another one of those guys with baseless words,” Covington said. “Said all these things, ‘I want big legacy fights, I want to go up to 170.’ Well, here’s your chance, Charles Oliveira. I’m the biggest fight you can get. Former world champion, the king of Brazil, the king of Miami, Donald Trump’s favorite fighter. What’s going to be bigger for your legacy, Charles, than fighting me? You want the biggest fight? The ball is in your court, Charles.
“Let’s see if you’re a man of your word. You talked a big game and said you want to come up to 170. There’s nothing left for you at 155. All these other guys they’re trying to match you up with are complete nobodies. The biggest and best fight for Charles Oliveira’s legacy would be Colby Covington. So, let’s see if he’s about that life, but I don’t think he is. I think he’s going to run away because he knows what would happen.”
