LAS VEGAS – UFC president Dana White likes the idea of a fight between Shavkat Rakhmonov and Colby Covington.
After choking out Geoff Neal this past Saturday at UFC 285, undefeated Rakhmonov (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC), who boasts a 100 percent finish rate, called for either Covington or a title shot.
And White is open to the Covington fight.
“That’s fun,” White White told reporters at the UFC 285 post-fight news conference. “That’s a fun one. I’m not making the fight. I’m just saying that sounds fun. I didn’t know he did that, but we’ll see.”
Covington (17-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) hasn’t competed since scoring a lopsided decision win over Jorge Masvidal last March. The likes of Belal Muhammad have continuously called him out, but White dismissed the notion that Covington has been turning down fights.
“Colby’s ready to fight,” White said. “He’s ready to fight, and he’s ready to fight anybody. I know we’ve reached out to him for a couple of different fights, and he said yes to it, but it just didn’t work out.”
Covington’s return to the octagon is likely delayed after he was allegedly attacked by Masvidal outside a Miami steak restaurant just days after their fight. Covington claimed that he suffered a brain injury and chipped tooth as a result of the attack, and Masvidal pleaded not guilty to single counts of aggravated battery and criminal mischief.
If found guilty, Masvidal could face up to 15 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine for second-degree felony aggravated battery with additional penalties possible for the criminal mischief charge.
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