"It's a pain in the a**" - Michael Bisping explains why Colby Covington will beat both Nate Diaz and Dustin Poirier

[L-R] Michael Bisping, Colby Covington, Dustin Poirier, Nate Diaz [Images courtesy: Michael Bisping via YouTube, @colbycovmma, @dustinpoirier, and @natediaz209 via Instagram]

Michael Bisping believes that Colby Covington will have an advantage over both Dustin Poirier and Nate Diaz should he face either man somewhere down the line.

Speaking on an episode of the Believe You Me podcast, the former UFC middleweight champion weighed in on Covington's potential fights with Poirier and Diaz. 'The Count' stated that the No.1-ranked welterweight's strong wrestling base would prove to be a big difference-maker in the outcome of either matchup:

"Colby probably beats Nate and Dustin. Colby is a bigger guy and he's just got that style. He's got the wrestling. You know, wrestling is such a big factor to overcome. It's a pain in the a**, it's a real pain in the a**."

Watch Michael Bisping discuss Colby Covington's potential matchups with Poirier and Diaz below:

Colby Covington is fresh off a dominant win over Jorge Masvidal. In the aftermath of his victory, 'Chaos' called out Dustin Poirier for a welterweight showdown. There have also been rumors online of a potential clash between Covington and Diaz, although that matchup is less likely to happen.

Both Nate Diaz and Dustin Poirier are coming off losses in their most recent UFC appearances. The Stockton native dropped a unanimous decision to the next welterweight title challenger Leon Edwards last June. Meanwhile, 'The Diamond' lost his second bid to capture the 155lbs gold when he was submitted by Charles Oliveira in December.

Dustin Poirier explains his willingness to take Colby Covington fight

Dustin Poirier recently expressed interest in a potential clash with Colby Covington. The Louisiana native 'accepted' Covington's challenge on social media and stated that he wanted to fight him at UFC 277 on July 30.

.@ColbyCovMMA July 30th i accept

Poirier's desire to fight Covington has confused some MMA fans, considering 'The Diamond' previously said he doesn't want Covington to make money off his name. The former interim lightweight champion has now explained his decision to pursue the fight, stating that he doesn't wish to sit out too long without fighting. During an appearance on The MMA Hour, Poirier said:

"I don’t want to fight the guy [Covington]. I don’t want him profiting anything off of me, but if they’re not giving me a fight until the end of the year and this is what they’re giving me, I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do. I fought in December. I don’t want to sit in a holding pattern for 10-11 months. I’m healthy and I want to fight."

While Poirier is now willing to fight Covington, he insists that he does not like the idea of 'Chaos' gaining financially from the matchup:

"I’m kind of pissed off at myself for saying I’d do it. Not that I’m worried about the guy or his skillset or anything like that. It’s that I don’t want the f****** guy to prosper because I said yes to a fight with him. But you get a glass of whiskey in you, they call you a couple days before, s*** happens and then you fight. So f*** it."

Watch Dustin Poirier's full interview on The MMA Hour below:

Dustin Poirier has opened the avenue for a fight against Colby Covington. However, there's no certainty that it will come to fruition, especially considering the ongoing legal battle involving 'Chaos' and his rival Jorge Masvidal.

The Californian was attacked by 'Gamegred' in March. The incident resulted in a broken tooth and an abrasion on the wrist for Covington and also, allegedly, a brain injury.