⁩Colby Covington Reveals Negotiations Under Way for American vs British UFC White House Fight

UFC veteran Colby Covington talks about a potential fight with Paddy Pimblett at the UFC White House event.

⁩Colby Covington Reveals Negotiations Under Way for American vs British UFC White House Fight

Colby Covington calls out Paddy Pimblett (via X)

In Short
  • Colby Covington is negotiating a fight with Paddy Pimblett for a White House event, emphasizing the significance of an American vs. British matchup.
  • Covington has not fought since a loss to Joaquin Buckley in 2024 and has lost three of his last four UFC bouts.
  • Paddy Pimblett recently lost to Justin Gaethje at UFC 324, missing his chance for the lightweight interim championship.

Colby Covington has not stepped into the Octagon since suffering a brutal loss to Joaquin Buckley at UFC Tampa in 2024. The veteran has lost three of his last four UFC fights, leaving fans doubtful about his potential return to competition. However, Covington appears to be planning ahead and has targeted lightweight star Paddy Pimblett for a comeback clash soon.

Colby Covington is widely regarded as one of the most patriotic fighters on the entire UFC roster today in competition. He strongly supported President Donald Trump throughout the heated 2024 election campaign across the United States at numerous public rallies.

Covington later admitted that those political commitments significantly disrupted his structured training schedule and overall fight preparation. Now, he has called out Paddy Pimblett for a potential welterweight showdown at the upcoming White House event.

I’ve been negotiating with the UFC for the White House card… This is important to my legacy, important for my career. This would be the most important fight that I’ve ever had… I would really like to fight Paddy Pimblett. It’s a fight where it’s an American vs. a British guy. I don’t want to fight an American guy on an American card for the 250th birthday of America.

Colby Covington via Value Entertainment 

At UFC 324, Paddy Pimblett suffered a defeat against Justin Gaethje, missing his chance to capture the lightweight interim championship. Fans and analysts mocked him heavily for failing to overcome the seasoned veteran on such a massive stage. After the loss, Pimblett was spotted gaining significant weight again, which he often does out of fight camp.

Paddy Pimblett has maintained a long-standing rivalry with Colby Covington, exchanging frequent verbal jabs across interviews and social media platforms. The Liverpool native took particular offense when Covington made controversial remarks about Leon Edwards’ father during UFC 296 fight week.

Tensions escalated further when both fighters reportedly came face-to-face backstage at UFC 314, nearly resulting in a heated altercation. Pimblett later mocked Covington for making bold insults online but failing to repeat those comments directly in person. Meanwhile, ‘Chaos’ has consistently expressed willingness to share the Octagon with Pimblett and settle their rivalry decisively. 

According to reports, the White House event will have 7-8 fights and stars like Alex Pereira, Jon Jones, Conor McGregor have shown interest. With so many top superstars targeting the White House event, it will be interesting to see whether UFC top brass will handle this.

Justin Gaethje mocks Paddy Pimblett’s kicks at UFC 324

Paddy Pimblett entered UFC 324 as the overwhelming fan favorite, carrying massive momentum and confidence into the highly anticipated matchup. Fans believed his recent performances and rising popularity would propel him toward another statement victory.

Paddy Pimblett vs. Justin Gaethje at UFC 324
Paddy Pimblett vs. Justin Gaethje at UFC 324 (via MMA Fighting)

However, Justin Gaethje produced a striking masterclass, dominating exchanges on the feet and repeatedly landing damaging combinations throughout the fight. Despite failing to secure a knockout, Gaethje openly credited Pimblett for showcasing remarkable durability and resilience under pressure.

Later, Demetrious Johnson questioned why Pimblett avoided wrestling exchanges despite possessing a well-documented and respected grappling background in competition. During the conversation, Gaethje responded to how he strategically neutralized takedown attempts

He was kicking me, but he kicked like a b**ch, so I was like ‘I can walk through that.’ Once I figured I could walk through it, it was money.

Justin Gaethje via YouTube 

Following the result, Paddy Pimblett has lost the opportunity to fight the lightweight champion Ilia Topuria and settle their beef. Reports suggest that the ‘El Matador’ will probably defend his belt against Gaethje at the White House event. 

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