Former UFC Welterweight interim champion Colby Covington has hinted at a return fight against the exciting up-and-coming talent, Jack Della Maddalena. Covington hasn’t fought since UFC 296 back in December 2023, when he lost his title matchup against Leon Edwards. Since that fight, Covington has not fought and knows that a win against another top contender will be necessary to get his name back into the title conversation.
Speaking to Submission Radio about the potential matchup against JDM, Covington said, “I think it makes a lot of sense. He got a big win in my hometown in Miami last time he was out here, so he has a little bit of a name out here. He’s undefeated. He’s hungry. He’s fearless. He’s an exciting fighter.
“I think that’s a fight that the fans would be intrigued with. I think it’s a high-level fight. It’s a top contender fight that establishes who’s the next contender for the belt.”
As Covington enters into the twilight of his career, he will be looking to have another run at the title, as he has fallen short of undisputed status in his previous three attempts. Two close fights with former champion Kamaru Usman in which Covington displayed impressive grit and determination helped the American to establish himself as one of the biggest names in the Welterweight division, but his last title fight against Leon Edwards left a lot to be desired.
Della Maddalena has an impressive record of 17-2 in MMA, with his only two losses coming in his first two fights. Della Maddalena has shown great striking in his MMA career, with 71% of his wins coming via KO/TKO. The Australian is coming off an impressive third round TKO win against former title challenger Gilbert Burns. He has shown that he has the skills to mix it with the UFC’s best, with his crisp boxing being amongst the best on the entire roster.
The UFC’s Welterweight division will be shaped in the coming months. A potential interim title fight between Shavkat Rakhmonov and Kamaru Usman has been rumoured for December, as the champion Belal Muhammad pulled out of his scheduled bout with Rakhmonov with a toe injury. Number seven ranked Ian Garry will take on number nine ranked Joaquin Buckley in the main event of the final card of the year. The welterweight division has a lot of moving parts and if Colby Covington wants to be in contention for a title shot, he will undoubtedly need to defeat a fellow contender.
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