LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 05: Colby Covington looks on before his welterweight fight against Jorge Masvidal during UFC 272 at T-Mobile Arena on March 05, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775780751 ORIG FILE ID: 1380973912
December 2, 2023 9:40 am ET
Colby Covington has a list of fighters he hopes to cross paths with before he calls it a career.
Covington (17-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) challenges welterweight champion Leon Edwards (20-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC) for the title in the UFC 296 main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Dec. 16.
In an interview with UFC.com, the former interim champion listed his dream fights ahead of his third crack at undisputed gold.
Scroll below to see whom Covington would love to fight.
UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev
“No. 1, for sure, is Islam Makhachev. That’s the money fight. That needs to be settled: USA vs. Russia. It’s the ‘Rocky IV’ theme line: Rocky vs. Drago. Everybody is talking like he’s pound-for-pound this, he’s pound-for-pound that. Against me, he’ll see a real fighter.
“He needs to stop being a weight bully, cutting all that weight to get the size advantage over people, and he needs to come see America’s champ. He needs to come see Donald Trump’s favorite fighter. I’ll see you soon, Islam.”
Conor McGregor
“One of the biggest and best fighters to ever grace the octagon. I mean the biggest fighter, for sure, in terms of celebrity status. I think it’d be a great contest. What he’s been able to accomplish in this sport is unmatched and I’d love to lock horns with him. He’s unpredictable.
“You don’t know what you’re going to get when you get Conor in the octagon. He knocked out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds. No one thought he was going to do that. I’d love to step in there because I believe that is someone that would really bring out the best in me and you’d see the best Colby Covington in that fight.”
Dustin Poirier
“A guy by the name of Dustin ‘Soreier.’ He’s the one that got me kicked out of my old gym by crying and having feelings, saying, ‘Oh, Colby is a mean person. Kick him out of our gym,’ while we get locked in an octagon to hurt each other in our underwear on Saturday nights. I would love to square up with Dustin ‘Soreier,’ but he’s afraid of me and he’s afraid of my shadow. I’ll never get to fight him because he’s just scared.”
Leon Edwards
“On Dec. 16 at UFC 296, I’ll be facing Leon Edwards ‘Scissorhands.’ That’s the fight I’ve been dreaming of for a long time. Everybody talks like he’s unbeatable, he’s on this long win streak,