Dana White answers if UFC 286 backup fighter Colby Covington is next in line for a title shot
Dana White has revealed whether Colby Covington is next in line for a shot at the UFC welterweight title. Reigning UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards is scheduled to defend his title against former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at UFC 286 on March 18.
At the UFC 286 weigh-ins, former interim UFC welterweight champion Covington weighed in as the backup/replacement fighter for the Edwards-Usman matchup. It was subsequently confirmed that the UFC had roped in 'Chaos' as the backup fighter in case Usman or Edwards were to pull out of their UFC 286 clash due to injury/other reasons.
Speaking to the media ahead of the UFC 286 event that'll transpire in London, England, Dana White was asked about Colby Covington being booked as the backup fighter for the event's headlining matchup.
The UFC president was asked whether 'Chaos' weighing in as the backup fighter was a sign that he'll receive the next title shot against the Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman winner. He responded by suggesting that Covington may not necessarily get the next title shot. White stated:
"Well, that I don't know. I mean, obviously, he stepped up for this and did this thing. And he's, obviously, one of the best in the world. But yeah, he's right there. You know, we always have a backup. I don't think -- My son actually hit me up and said, 'Dad, I don't understand this. What's going on? Why did Colby Covington weigh in?' Go ahead and explain it to him. I said, 'Yeah, there's always a backup for a fight. It just never gets as much attention as Colby did today.'"
Watch White discuss the topic at 2:34 in the video below:
Is a Colby Covington UFC welterweight title shot on the cards in 2023?
Colby Covington's most recent fight witnessed him defeat Jorge Masvidal via unanimous decision in March 2022. Covington hasn't competed ever since. Regardless, he holds the No. 2 spot in the official UFC welterweight rankings, and the consensus is that he's still very much in the title picture.
Meanwhile, the No. 3-ranked Khamzat Chimaev is rumored to be moving up to middleweight for his next fight, whereas the No. 1-ranked Kamaru Usman is fighting the current champion Leon Edwards for the title this Saturday.
On the other hand, the No. 4-ranked Belal Muhammad has been relentlessly lobbying for a fight against Colby Covington but hasn't been given that opportunity yet.
Furthermore, the No. 5-ranked Gilbert Burns is set to fight Jorge Masvidal next month. Considering the variables at play, it's likely that Covington could potentially end up fighting the Edwards-Usman winner for the title later this year. However, as Dana White indicated, nothing's been officially confirmed.