Michael Chiesa criticized Colby Covington after his win over Tony Ferguson.
“I want to fight Colby Covington… he can say whatever he wants on the sidelines…”
Are you just going to sit back and do nothing or are you going to come back and fight? Leave your position as is, I’m… pic.twitter.com/nDy1iDfUzW
— Championship Round (@ChampRDS)
August 4, 2024
Michael Chiesa is looking to step up his game since his victory last Saturday.
After Chiesa bounced back from a three-fight slump with a first-round submission win over Tony Ferguson at UFC on ABC 7 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, “Maverick” criticized former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington.
Chiesa insists the fight has nothing to do with rankings. The Spokane, Washington, native wants to face Covington, of Springfield, Oregon, to determine the best welterweight in the Pacific Northwest.
“I want to fight Colby Covington. I’ve been saying that for years,” Chiesa said in his post-fight interview. “He can sit on the sidelines and say whatever he wants. I don’t follow rankings. I don’t care. I just want to know who the best fighter is. Who’s the best welterweight in the Pacific Northwest? I know you live in Dade County, Mr. 305, but I want to know who the best fighter is in the Northwest. Me or you? I want to know. Are you just gonna sit here and do nothing? Or are you gonna come back and fight? I don’t care about the rankings. I just want to know who the best fighter is in the Northwest.”
Covington is 2-3 in his last five fights, but all three losses have come in failed title attempts. “Chaos” hasn’t competed since losing a unanimous decision to Leon Edwards at UFC 296 in December 2023.
While Chiesa has criticized Covington for being inactive, the winner of season 15 of “The Ultimate Fighter” has focused primarily on analyst duties as of late, with Saturday marking just his second Octagon appearance since 2021.
