Colby Covington Offers Strategic Insight Following Islam Makhachev's Welterweight Championship Victory at UFC 322

Las Vegas, NV – Veteran welterweight contender Colby Covington has provided his assessment of Islam Makhachev’s recent, dominant performance at UFC 322, where the Dagestani fighter captured the welterweight title in a lopsided decision victory over Jack Della Maddalena. Covington, known for his outspoken nature and strong grappling background, offered an unexpected nod of respect to the newly crowned two-division champion, alongside a strategic breakdown of how to potentially dethrone him.

Makhachev, the reigning UFC Lightweight Champion, made a significant statement by ascending to a second weight class. Competing in the main event of UFC 322, he faced the highly touted Australian contender Jack Della Maddalena. The fight, which unfolded this past Saturday, saw Makhachev leverage his superior wrestling and control to neutralize Della Maddalena’s formidable striking prowess. Throughout the five-round contest, Makhachev consistently secured takedowns, maintained dominant positions, and stifled any offensive output from his opponent, ultimately leading to a clear decision win on the judges’ scorecards. This victory elevated Makhachev’s professional mixed martial arts record to an impressive 26 wins and 1 loss, further cementing his status as one of the sport’s pound-for-pound elite. Della Maddalena, previously riding a significant winning streak within the UFC’s welterweight division, experienced a setback that underscored Makhachev’s exceptional skill set and adaptability across weight classes.

Speaking to The Schmo prior to a poker event earlier this week, Covington admitted the outcome was not what he had anticipated. "No, I didn’t see it coming," Covington stated, referencing Makhachev’s decisive win. "I thought [Della Maddalena] was the bigger guy and he would be able to overpower Makhachev, but hats off to him. He implemented his game plan and was really just able to control the fight the whole time." This acknowledgement from Covington, often critical of his peers, highlighted the effectiveness of Makhachev’s strategy and execution.

Covington himself has been absent from active competition for an extended period, nearing a year since his last octagon appearance. His most recent bout occurred in December of last year, where he suffered a stoppage loss to Joaquin Buckley at UFC Tampa. This result marked his second consecutive defeat and his third loss in his last four outings, a challenging period for the former interim welterweight champion. Covington’s professional record currently stands at 17 wins and 6 losses. Despite the recent setbacks, the 37-year-old expressed a desire to return to the cage, mentioning a potential appearance at a speculated "UFC White House" event in June, or alternatively targeting a return in January or February of the upcoming year. His return would mark a pivotal moment in his career as he seeks to re-establish his position within the competitive welterweight division.

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When pressed for his thoughts on how to defeat the newly minted welterweight king, Covington articulated a strategy centered on robust takedown defense. "You’re going to have to stuff his takedowns and make him work like Volkanovski did in that first fight," Covington explained. "He just stuffed the takedowns and brawled with him." This analysis draws a direct parallel to Islam Makhachev’s first championship defense against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284 in February 2023. In that highly anticipated lightweight title bout, Volkanovski, the reigning Featherweight Champion, showcased remarkable takedown defense, successfully denying many of Makhachev’s attempts and forcing the fight into striking exchanges. While Makhachev ultimately secured a unanimous decision victory in that contest, Volkanovski’s performance was widely praised for exposing a path to challenging Makhachev’s grappling dominance. Volkanovski, with a professional record of 26 wins and 4 losses, remains one of the most decorated champions in UFC history, and his tactical approach against Makhachev serves as a blueprint for future opponents.

Expanding on his strategic assessment, Covington also identified who he believes represents the most challenging matchup for Makhachev in the immediate future: Ilia Topuria. "I think Topuria is the perfect fight for him. I think that fight needs to happen," Covington asserted. He elaborated on his reasoning, pointing to Topuria’s physical attributes and fighting style. "Topuria has a low center of gravity, so he’s going to be very hard to take down, and when he’s not taking him down, he’s goinged to be punching him with all he’s got."

Ilia Topuria, the undefeated UFC Featherweight Champion, has rapidly ascended through the ranks, accumulating a pristine professional record of 15 wins and 0 losses. Known for his devastating knockout power and polished striking technique, Topuria has demonstrated excellent takedown defense and powerful ground-and-pound when necessary. His recent title-winning performance against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 in February 2024 underscored his striking precision and ability to finish fights decisively.

Covington’s suggestion, however, comes with a caveat regarding the weight class. While envisioning Topuria as a significant threat, Covington acknowledged the potential challenges of a move up for Topuria. "I mean, it’s tough. I don’t want to see Ilia go all the way to [170]. It’s tough, he’s going to be giving up such a size advantage, but we’ll see. I think 155 makes the most sense." This statement implies that a potential superfight between Makhachev and Topuria would be more compelling and fair at lightweight (155 pounds), where Makhachev is also champion, rather than welterweight (170 pounds), where Topuria would face a considerable size disadvantage against the naturally larger Makhachev.

Makhachev’s dual-championship status at lightweight and welterweight opens up a myriad of possibilities for future matchups across both divisions. The lightweight division boasts a roster of formidable contenders, while the welterweight division now presents new challenges and potential superfights. Covington’s analysis of Makhachev’s strengths and weaknesses, combined with his suggestion of Topuria as a formidable opponent, offers valuable insight into the evolving landscape of the UFC’s championship picture as the promotion navigates the implications of a new two-division king.