If Khamzat Chimaev wins at UFC 273, ‘we see him and Colby Covington next’, Says Dana White

If Khamzat Chimaev defeats Gilbert Burns at UFC 273, he might be in line for a rematch with one of the top welterweight contenders.

UFC president revealed Friday that the promotion is eyeing a matchup between Chimaev and former interim champion Colby Covington if Chimaev wins on Saturday.

“I think that if Khamzat Chimaev wins this weekend, we see him and Colby Covington next,” White said on The Pat McAfee Show.

Chimaev (10-0) has won his first four UFC fights with a near-perfect record. While putting up unprecedented figures inside the octagon, the 27-year-old Chechen native has outstruck his opponents 254-2 in total strikes and 112-1 in important strikes. He most recently returned from a 13-month hiatus to destroy Li Jingliang by first-round submission at UFC 267, propelling him into the top-10 of the welterweight rankings in MMA Fighting.

While a win over Burns would push Chimaev into title contention, Leon Edwards is still expected to challenge UFC champion Kamaru Usman for the welterweight strap sometime in 2022. That would leave Covington, the division’s No. 2 ranked fighter, as the next best option to take on Chimaev. And according to White, if things swing the right way, that’s the matchup the UFC is already penciling in for a big showdown on broadcast TV later this year.

“I have a fight coming up on ABC, and in a perfect world, if everything plays out right, I would love to do Khamzat vs. Colby if Khamzat should win on Saturday night,” White said.