CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Colby Covington continues a successful run on the RAF mats, and he has no plans of stopping any time soon.
Covington completed his first successful defense of the RAF cruiserweight crossover title this past Friday in the main event of RAF 13, shutting out Belal Muhammad in a 10-0 technical fall. Now, with a title defense in his pocket and being 5-0 under RAF, Covington shifts his focus to revisiting a couple of his major UFC career rivalries in. "Chaos" wants his second RAF title defense to be against Kamaru Usman, who he fought twice in UFC championship bouts, or Khamzat Chimaev, whom he's been beefing with for years online.
"It's a long list of guys, and thankfully RAF has so much good talent to challenge and test myself,"
Covington said at the RAF 13 post-match press conference. "Of course, 'Marty Fakenewsman' (Kamaru Usman), we have unfinished business. That trilogy is a huge matchup. That's probably at the top of the list. 'Cumshot' (Khamzat) Chimaev is up there, but you know, we have to get on a weight plan. He can't keep being unprofessional and missing weight or retiring again to the common cold."
Unlike Covington, who retired from MMA earlier this year, Chiamev and Usman are both active UFC fighters. Usman is not signed with RAF, but has expressed interest in wrestling for the promotion. Chimaev is signed with RAF and defeated Gilbert Burns in the co-main event of RAF 13 to make it 3-0 in the promotion.
As far as the match with Muhammad, which was also a grudge match, Covington says things are good between them – though he's still throwing shots at the former UFC champion.
"There was never any beef on my end – maybe on his end," Covington said. "He was very jealous and envious of my success and everything I've done in my career. I've never paid attention to him. If he was important enough, the UFC would've made the fight. They never really offered the fight. He wasn't a star. He fought at the Apex when they gave out free tickets. I fought at Madison Square Garden with a $10 million gate, so you see the difference?"
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Colby Covington welcomes Kamaru Usman or Khamzat Chimaev for next RAF match
