Covington dismisses Chimaev: 'He was put down by the common cold'

Colby Covington isn't impressed by Khamzat Chimaev's UFC tenure so far, and he doesn't predict a fight between the two of them will happen in the foreseeable future.

"He's got to do a lot more work than get three fights in the UFC," Covington told reporters Wednesday, according to MMA Fighting. "You guys hype these guys up real quick, but let's not forget that he was put down by the common cold."

Chimaev broke through as one of the hottest prospects in MMA last year, scoring three dominant wins in a little over two months after signing with the UFC that summer.

But a severe case of COVID-19 led to Chimaev sitting on the sidelines for 13 months and forced him to withdraw from multiple fights earlier in 2021. "Borz" returned to the Octagon at UFC 267 last weekend and destroyed Li Jingliang - then the No. 11-ranked welterweight - to regain the momentum he lost during his layoff.

Covington, meanwhile, is scheduled to face Kamaru Usman for the welterweight title at UFC 268 on Saturday. Many believe Chimaev is ready for a big step up in competition - such as a top-five opponent or even a title shot - but Covington doesn't think Chimaev would want to challenge him if he beats Usman.

"He doesn't want to fight me," Covington said.