Colby Covington Competes with Ilia Topuria as Welterweight Star Eyes Super Fight with Paddy Pimblett

UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington challenges Paddy Pimblett to moving up a division to 170lbs for a superfight.

Colby Covington Competes with Ilia Topuria as Welterweight Star Eyes Super Fight with Paddy Pimblett

Colby Covington wants to sideline Ilia Topuria for Paddy Pimblett fight. (via UFC, Forbes)

Trash-talking is one of the most essential attributes for a UFC fighter these days, as it helps to sell the fight and create buzz around the rivalry. Take Conor McGregor and Chael Sonnen, for example, and how they called their shots and used to get inside the mind of their opponents while destroying the confidence within.

Former UFC interim welterweight champion Colby Covington is also recognised for the same and recently called out lightweight star Paddy Pimblett for a super fight at 170 pounds. For the unversed, there has already been some tension between Covington and Pimblett after their online beef overflowed into a backstage altercation at UFC 314.

‘Chaos’ last fought in December 2024, where he suffered a doctor’s stoppage loss at the hands of Joaquin Buckley due to a nasty cut on his eyelid. Ever since then, the controversial fighter has been calling out opponents for his next fight.

On the other hand, there is an ongoing heated rivalry between Pimblett and lightweight champion Ilia Topuria, and it is suspected that the two would face off next for the 155lbs gold after their altercation at UFC 317.

Despite this, Covington wants to sideline the Spaniard and make a case for himself against the Scouser. In an interview with Helen Yee, he labeled Pimblett as a “weight bully” for fighting at 155 pounds. This was regarding the Englishman’s scary weight cut debacle in the Cage Warriors promotion, where he was at risk of losing his kidneys.

The Paddy Pimblett fight super interests me. He was saying in the interview the other day that his doctor said he had liver failure from cutting to 155 lbs. Dude, come up a weight class, come up to 170 lbs. You’re a bum, you’re a gimmick.

Colby Covington via Helen Yee Sports

This is not the first time that Covington has criticized Pimblett’s weight cuts. The Liverpudlian is known for his extensive and unhealthy diet, which makes him appear huge when he is not in fight camp. However, he has never missed weight and is undefeated in the UFC with a professional record of 23 wins and three losses. Covington believed that Pimblett uses this to his advantage and should fight at welterweight.

‘Chaos’ is one of the most controversial fighters in the MMA community and has made headlines multiple times before due to his strong political opinions and trash talk. Despite this, he was the interim welterweight champion but was never able to hold undisputed championship gold due to his twin losses against Kamaru Usman and then to Leon Edwards.

The American patriot also spoke about a potential matchup against #11-ranked welterweight Gilbert Burns, should the Pimblett fight not materialize. However, the Scouser has his eyes set on Topuria due to their long-standing rivalry and altercation at UFC 317. It remains to be seen how the Covington-Pimblett saga unfolds and whether their fight ever materializes.

Colby Covington believes that Paddy Pimblett can never win a title

There is no doubt that Colby Covington has consistently been outspoken about his thoughts on his rivals. He recently aimed at rising Paddy Pimblett and dismissed the Liverpudlian’s chances of ever becoming a champion. Speaking with his usual confidence, Covington didn’t hold back when asked about Pimblett’s future in the sport. The outspoken fighter insisted that Pimblett will never reach a UFC title fight or hold a championship belt.

Colby Covington believes he could fight Paddy Pimblett
Colby Covington believes he could fight Paddy Pimblett (via Imago)

Covington recently posted a video on X and claimed that Pimblett’s weight cuts and fighting style are unsustainable at the highest level. He went on to issue a direct challenge and said that if Pimblett ever moved up to welterweight, he would be ready to “whoop his a**.”

It was a sharp dismissal of the Englishman’s current path, framing him as more of a hype machine than a legitimate contender in Covington’s eyes.

He’s never gonna get to a title fight, he’s never gonna win a title. When he stops cutting all that weight and cutting chromosomes, and he wants to come to a real man’s weight class.

Colby Covington via X

While Covington’s words are predictably provocative, they also raise questions about Pimblett’s long-term future in the UFC. ‘The Baddy’ has the fan base and personality to keep drawing big fights, but to silence doubters like Covington, he will need to prove his skills against elite competition. Whether at lightweight or a higher division, Pimblett’s response inside the Octagon will determine if he is more than just hype.

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