“This guy is a clown. He needs to beat someone worthy, from the top 5 rankings. He has only four fights in the UFC, but journalists love to hype and rush things. If you really want to rush this guy, send him to the hospital and shorten his life - no problem, I'm open to it.
"I love doing business with the UFC and it would be an honor for me to beat whoever they suggest. If they give me him as a rival, then I will stubbornly prepare for this battle and show skills that no one else has seen,” Covington said.
Covington's last fight was November 7 at UFC 268, when he lost by unanimous decision to champion Kamaru Usman.