Islam Makhachev doesn’t assume a lot of Colby Covington.
On December 14, the three-time UFC title challenger will return to the Octagon for a scrap with No. 9 ranked welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley on the promotion’s closing occasion of 2024.
It will likely be Covington’s first time competing since developing quick towards then-welterweight champion Leon Edwards at UFC 296 round this similar time final yr. Within the time since, ‘Chaos’ has stored himself busy campaigning for and singing the praises of President-elect Donald Trump. Now that the 34-time convicted felon has secured re-election, Covington is able to get again to enterprise contained in the Octagon.
However not everyone seems to be thrilled to see him again.
Over time, Covington has had loads to say about reigning light-weight titleholder Islam Makhachev and his staff of Dagestani stars — together with Corridor of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov. Forward of his third and (hopefully) closing shot on the welterweight title final yr, Covington slammed Workforce Khabib, calling them nothing however a bunch of weight bullies whereas claiming he himself doesn’t reduce any weight for his fights.
“Let me know who’s gonna be eating like this seven days out from a fight, no one. I don’t cut weight though, I’m a real fighter… I’m not a weight bully like Islam Makhachev who has to cut all that weight to have an advantage over midgets and beat those guys up so that’s why I’m number one pound-for-pound fighter on earth,” Covington mentioned in an episode of UFC 296 Embedded.
Islam Makhachev goes in on ‘Chaos’
Throughout a latest interview with MatchTV, Makhachev snapped again on the OSU alumnus.
Islam Makhachev goes OFF on Colby Covington 😳
“[Colby is] a man who can’t prove anything with his fights, but tries to be well known with his mouth.”
🎥 MatchTV #UFC #MMApic.twitter.com/sjfCYoKwXm
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) December 4, 2024
“First, let’s describe who Colby is. A man who can’t prove anything with his fights, but tries to be well known with his mouth. This is what he does. He doesn’t talk about fighters who are not in the top 15,” Makhachev mentioned. “He talks about fighters who’ve already achieved quite a bit to be well-known. I feel he’s one of many masters of trash discuss, however it’s not true that he doesn’t reduce weight. Everybody cuts weight.
“For example, Kamaru Usman weighs more than 90kg, he is huge. I do not weigh 86kg. My maximum weight when I train is 82-83kg. [His comments don’t bother me], why should it bother me? It would be understandable if it was someone [who is a good fighter] but when a person can’t fight normally, but still talks about me, it doesn’t bother me” (h/t Bloody Elbow).
Makhachev is 15-1 contained in the Octagon along with his newest light-weight title protection coming towards Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 in June. The ‘Dagestani Destroyer’ completed Poirier within the fifth spherical.
On Wednesday, Dana White introduced that Makhachev will return to the Octagon on January 18 to defend his 155-pound crown towards the division’s top-ranked contender, Arman Tsarukyan. Additionally that includes on the UFC 311 card will probably be a bantamweight title tilt between defending champion Merab Dvalishvili and the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov.
