UFC: Michael Chiesa Wants To Fight Colby Covington Next

The former UFC lightweight Michael Chiesa has had good fortune since his move to welterweight. Now 3-0 at 170lbs, ‘Maverick’ is coming off an impressive win over Rafael dos Anjos last January at UFC Raleigh. Following the unanimous decision victory, the 32 year old called out Colby Covington in his Octagon interview.

With the intention of climbing through the welterweight rankings, the number eight ranked Chiesa is looking to fight anyone ranked above him. Speaking on The Luke Thomas Show however (as transcribed by BJPenn.com), the TUF season 15 winner said that Covington is his prime target.

“Definitely guys ranked above me. [Gilbert] Burns, I think him and I are on a crash course. I love the guy, I think he’s great. We’ve been kind of picking at each other on social media. I’ll jump on his live feeds and message him, he’ll do the same for me. Awesome guy, styles make fights, I think that’s a fun fight. There’s ‘Wonderboy’ (Stephen Thompson), there’s Leon [Edwards], there’s Tyron [Woodley]. There’s all these guys ahead of me.

“There’s Colby,” Chiesa added. “That’s the one I want the most. I want the Colby fight the most. That’s just MMA math. If I fought Colby, and I beat him, and I could beat him, and I would beat him, it’s a good matchup for me — I beat Colby, I think that puts me in the best position I could be in with one win. Whereas these other guys, I’d probably have to beat Burns then I’d have to beat a Woodley or a Leon, or somebody, to get in a position I would get in if I beat Colby, because he’s still the number one guy. I’m just doing MMA math. I’ll take the tougher fight if I have to win one fight than to fight two of these other guys twice. But anybody above me for sure.”

However, Covington is determined in fighting either the UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, or the former champ Tyron Woodley. Chiesa however, is not looking to sit out until he gets his dream opponent, stating that he is willing to return to the Octagon amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

“Yeah I’m confident, I’m confident I’ll fight in 2020,” Chiesa said. “I’m not going to deviate away from my regiment. There’s fights that I want, there’s matchups that interest me, but I’m not going to chase that matchup and get away from my regiment because there is no forgiveness. Let’s say they [UFC] call me and say ‘Hey do you want to fight on Fight Island in six weeks’ and it’s against one of the guys I want to fight, yeah I’ll do it but there’s no pardon once this thing ends. I’m in the Top-10. I’m not going to risk this position that I’ve been in to chase a matchup. I’m sticking to my regiment, sticking to my way I’ve been getting it done.”

Who do you think Michael Chiesa should fight next?


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