When Belal Muhammad fell short of competing at UFC 310, the UFC assigned Ian Garry to Shavkat Rakhmonov, who demanded a fight irrespective of the title. However, could there have been a different fight for the Kazakh warrior other than the Irishman? I͏nt͏͏erestingly, th͏͏͏e͏͏ p͏͏r͏͏om͏o͏tion had͏ v͏a͏rious ͏o͏p͏t͏ions ͏f͏͏͏or͏ b͏͏ookin͏g ͏a fi͏͏g͏͏h͏t͏ ifor Shavk͏at Rakhm͏o͏͏nov, including ͏Col͏by͏͏ ͏C͏ov͏͏͏͏ingt͏o͏͏n. ͏The U͏FC͏ u͏lt͏imate͏͏ly ͏de͏͏͏cided͏ t͏o p͏air hi͏m ͏aga͏i͏ns͏t͏ I͏an Ga͏r͏ry. B͏͏ut͏ ͏why ͏͏no͏t ͏Covington?͏

Well, the fight of the undefeated appeared to be better on Dana White’s cards rather than any other fight. Was Colby Covington provided a fight against ‘Nomad’? Well, the question has been answered by one of the stakeholders himself.

Colby Covington rejected UFC 310 fight, claims undefeated welterweight 

Colby Covington is going through a tough phase of his career with three back-to-back title fight losses and he needs some redemption on his part. Interestingly, according to Shavkat Rakhmonov, the promotion did offer Colby Covington, Kamaru Usman, and Carlos Prates a fight against the 18-0 fighter. However, all three of those fighters refused to face Rakhmonov with only Prates having a genuine reason.

Carlos Prates is riding on a four-fight winning streak. He refused to fight Shavkat Rakhmonov because he was suffering from an injury. Well, Rakhmonov respected Prates’ decision as an injury is a genuine concern. However, when it comes to Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, he might have a different opinion. According to ‘Nomad’ Colby Covington straight out rejected to have a clash against him.

A recent post by Championship Rounds said, “Shavkat Rakhmonov reveals that the UFC offered Kamaru Usman, Colby Covington, and Carlos Prates to fight him at UFC 310. He says Colby turned it down, Prates was injured and Kamaru accepted the fight at first, but ended up rejecting it in the end.” Well, the Usman part of things make sense, since it was revealed that he said he needed more time to prepare for someone like Shavkat.

But it is quite weird to think that Covington rejected the fight considering he wanted to clash against Rakhmonov and made the desire public. So, what’s his side of the story?

A few weeks ago, during a chat with Submission Radio, Colby Covington claimed that he was ready to fight Shavkat Rakhmonov, “And if they do give me a call, I’m going to answer the call, we’ll get a couple of things straight and if we’ve got to do it, we’ve got to do it.” But the promotion had different plans for Rakhmonov. Colby Covington later said the promotion turned down his offer and would go for another fight for ‘Nomad,’ and picked Usman as the likely candidate.

In one of his conversations with the media, Covington asserted, “I was very tempted. If the UFC would’ve called me, they know I’m a game-time player. I love doing the biggest and best business for the company… Looks like they’re going for a different route. They’re going to potentially go with the Usman and sh*trat [Shavkat] fight. Good on them, that’s okay. I’m right there, still. I beat someone, I’m right back in the [title] conversation. I love that.”

Well, Colby Covington’s words might not have been taken seriously by the MMA community as he has been bashed hilariously because of it. While Covington turned down the opportunity Ian Garry seized it. Interestingly, Ian Garry was supposed to clash with Joaquin Buckley at UFC Tampa but now it’s Colby Covington, who will face him, and as the fight has been re-booked by the promotion, Garry has some words for Buckley.

Ian Garry has an important task for Joaquin Buckley at UFC Tampa

Ian Garry has a personal beef with Colby Covington specifically due to the fact that the former interim welterweight champion brutally called out Ian Garry over his wife Layla Machado’s book ‘How to Be a WAG.’ The book is a satire that involves ways to rope in high-paying athletes as partners or husbands. Colby Covington along with Sean Strickland brutally assaulted Garry verbally to such an extent that ‘The Future’ issued a callout for ‘Choas,’ to fight him but Covington declined the offer stating that he would gain nothing from the clash.

So, how can Garry take his sweet revenge? Well, Ian Garry might have his former opponent do the thing for him. “Joaquin Buckley, I am behind you 100 percent of the way,” Garry noted in a post to Instagram. “Go out and put that man to sleep. Please and thank you. Do it for me because he’s not able to do it against me.”

Responding to Ian Garry’s words, Buckley asserted, “For Colby to be out here, regardless of if we know it’s an act or not, you gotta pay for the words that you say. And I really believe with Colby Covington, he should have took this fight with Ian Garry when I believe it was offered but he never did.Ian Garry definitely gave me a shout out to really go and knock Colby Covington out and we’ll see each other later. Shout out to Ian Garry for that,” said Buckley in a conversation with MiddleEasy.

Things definitely did not work out for Covington here as he went from turning down Garry to being his replacement at a Fight Night, when Garry was picked to co-headline a Las Vegas PPV. As the day of the ultimate fight draws near, who do you think would be the winner in UFC 301 and UFC Tampa? State your thoughts in the comments below.