Covington Calls Out 3 UFC Rivals After RAF 11 Title Win

Q: With one rival already competing in RAF, which former UFC champion will be next to face Covington on the mat?

Khamzat Chimaev. Covington called out three names after winning the inaugural RAF Cruiserweight Championship at RAF 11: Chimaev, Belal Muhammad and Tyron Woodley. Of those, one rival is already active in RAF — Belal Muhammad competed on the same card and publicly targeted Covington afterward. The strongest indication for the next former UFC champion to meet Covington on the mat is Chimaev. The supporting reporting says upcoming RAF cards are expected to feature both Covington and former UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev, and Covington has also singled him out as a major target in his post-UFC wrestling run. Woodley is also a former UFC champion and was named in Covington’s challenge, but the available reporting ties Chimaev more directly to RAF’s upcoming schedule and to Covington’s most prominently teased future matchup.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jul 19

Colby Covington used his RAF 11 victory speech to challenge Khamzat Chimaev, Belal Muhammad and Tyron Woodley for his next fight.
The callouts came after Covington praised opponent Arman Tsarukyan’s clinch work and feints, saying he was a tough fighter to take down on the way to the belt.
Covington also predicted Tsarukyan will become UFC lightweight champion, framing the win as a strong test before seeking bigger names.
The post-fight remarks point to Covington targeting established UFC opponents next after capturing the RAF 11 title.