Michael Chiesa explains Colby Covington callout: “I’m giving him an opportunity”

Michael Chiesa believes he is giving Colby Covington an opportunity by calling him out.

At UFC Fight Island 8 on Wednesday, Chiesa scored a dominant decision win over Neil Magny to cement himself as a top-10 welterweight. After the win, he then called out Covington, in a fight that certainly makes sense.

“The election is over,” Chiesa said after his win. “Colby Covington, your schtick is done. I want you next, boy.”

After the win, Chiesa spoke to Daniel Cormier and Paul Felder on the ESPN+ post-fight show to explain the callout. However, he makes it clear he would be open to fighting any welterweight ranked in the top-five.

“I’m giving him an opportunity, I’m not waiting for him, I’m the one giving him an opportunity. I’m more active than he is right now. If he wants to sit and wait for “Gamebred” good for him,” Chiesa said on the post-fight show. “But, you just got a guy fresh off a big win trying to get a fight with you. If he wants to sit and wait for him, good ahead I’ll move on. You got Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev fighting, you got Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson who had a great fight. Anybody from five and above. We have to let this division play out a little bit and I got work to do but I got fights to take and I want to end this year as the number one contender.”

With the win, Michael Chiesa is now 4-0 at welterweight and could get a top-five next time out.

Colby Covington, meanwhile, has not fought since he defeated Tyron Woodley by fifth-round TKO in September. Before that, he suffered his own fifth-round TKO loss to Kamaru Usman for the welterweight title.

As Chiesa mentions, there are reports he could be fighting Jorge Masvidal next, but if that doesn’t happen, “Maverick” wants the fight to happen.

Would you like to see Michael Chiesa vs. Colby Covington?