Jorge Masvidal or Kamaru Usman- Who is Next for Colby Covington?

Published 02/24/2021, 8:53 AM EST

UFC welterweight Colby Covington has solidified his place at the very Apex of the welterweight division with his octagon performances. However, ‘Chaos’ is in dire need of making his return to the cage with a statement win to reassert himself. The 170-pound division is a shark tank of elite talent and retaining his number one spot is a challenging feat.

Colby Covington last fought back in September against Tyron Woodley and went on to clean sweep the former champion. ‘Chaos’ won out the contest emphatically and the fight was stopped late after Woodley suffered a rib injury. The defeat served as a clear setback for Woodley, who’s lost three straight fights without winning a single round.

As for Covington, he’s very much a player in the upper echelon of the division and will want to rematch Kamaru Usman. The division one All-American from Oregon state gave the champion his toughest fight to date, and the fight was 2-2 heading into the fifth. While Usman came out on top, he faced plenty of resistance from Colby Covington.

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What’s next for Colby Covington?

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The 16-2 welterweight has two marquee match-ups that make plenty of sense from the title landscape perspective. Chiefly, Covington could step in to face either Leon Edwards or Jorge Masvidal in his next fight. Both bouts are extremely consequential and the winner can move on to face Kamaru Usman for gold.

However, the fight that has unparalleled hype behind it is Colby Covington vs Jorge Masvidal. There’s a built-in narrative for the bout as both men used to be former teammates and friends. However, the relationship turned sour and Covington vs Masvidal is the grudge match to make. Additionally, from a box office perspective, the fight makes sense both men have a large fanbase.

The other option on the table for Colby Covington comes in the form of a title shot against ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’. As mentioned earlier, Covington’s first clash with the champ was promising and will draw in fans for a rematch. Not to mention, a title shot isn’t out of the picture as Covington has stayed active at the very least. That’s more than can be said for other welterweight contenders who are looking to stick out their spot.

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Darryl Pinto is a senior MMA writer at EssentiallySports. He is currently pursuing his graduate degree in Mass Media (with a specialization in Journalism) out of Xavier’s College and has a year's experience in his current role. Darryl specializes in predictions, reporting, and covering UFC events live.

Jorge Masvidal or Kamaru Usman- Who is Next for Colby Covington?

What’s next for Colby Covington?

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