Colby Covington: 'Khabib Has Beaten All These Guys Who Can't Wrestle'

Ahead of UFC 242, Colby Covington predicted that his American Top Team teammate, Dustin Poirier, wouldn’t be able to handle the wrestling of Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, Covington is quick to clarify that he didn’t mean to compliment the Dagestani champ in any way.

“The Eagle” dominated Poirier during their main event fight last Saturday, eventually submitting him in the third round. Afterwards, Covington continued going in on Poirier, suggesting that his teary-eyed presence at the post-fight press conference was a put-on, which led Poirier to respond that the two would be fighting the next

Covington had pointed words for the other side of UFC 242’s championship headliner, however. This week, he spoke with former UFC bad boy Chael Sonnen and said he was not impressed by the Nurmagomedov’s performance against his teammate, claiming that he watched Poirier during his training camp and that high-school wrestlers were able to take him down.

“I wasn’t impressed at all,” Covington said. “We all know Dustin can’t stuff a nosebleed, and he also can’t stuff a Khabib takedown. I saw Dustin training the whole camp at American Top Team. He was getting taken down by high school-level wrestlers. His wrestling is just not there. Khabib [has] beaten all these guys who can’t wrestle. If he fought a wrestler and a well-rounded fighter like myself, I would completely expose him and knock him out.

“So I wasn’t impressed by the sheep f---er over the weekend,” Covington concluded.

Covington also weighed in on Poirier's promise of a fight the next time they see each other at the gym, a sentiment echoed by Covington's longtime ally Jorge Masvidal.

“Things are definitely going to be weird [at the gym],” Covington said. “It comes out of jealousy and bitterness, Uncle Chael. These guys are wishing they could do what I do and they’re mad at where I’m at and what I do for a living. They wish they could make the pay checks. There is going to be a little jealously. There might be a brawl at ATT. We might come to blows. I’m prepared for anything.”

Covington warned the pair what would happen to them if they decided to start a fight with him.

“These guys are talking a lot, but they know what would happen if they stepped to me,” he said. “I’d beat their asses. I’m not too worried about them. They’ve got to worry about me.”