Colby Covington’s days at 170 might be numbered.

The former three-time welterweight world title challenger was defeated by TKO (cut) by Joaquin Buckley last month in what was the 36-year-old’s fourth defeat in his past six outings in the cage — and despite subsequently protesting the decision of the cageside physician who said that a nasty cut above his right eye risked him losing his entire eyelid, Covington remains insistent that he can hang with the best at welterweight and now apparently at middleweight too.

“Honestly, 185 is intriguing,” Covington said recently during one of his regular appearances on Submission Radio, as noted by Bloody Elbow.

“I think it would be kind of cool to go up there with the narrative like, ‘Oh, this guy’s a small 170. He’s going to go up to 85 and take on an even bigger challenge’. So, there is a possibility. I’m always looking for the biggest and best fights. So, we’ll see.”

He added: “I know those guys are a lot slower. So that’s why guys that leave welterweight and they go to middleweight have so much success. You know, those guys like [Robert] Whittaker became champion, a guy like Sean Strickland who became a champion.”

And one name that he says he finds particularly enticing is Sean Strickland, the former 185-pound champion and noted critic of Covington’s schtick.

“You know, he’s had his things to say about me in the past I don’t think he’s anything special,” Covington said.

“He’s got a jab, he’s got a front kick. But besides that, you shut those weapons down and he’s very limited. So, you know, he’s a cardio fighter. He’s just a cardio kickboxer, essentially. I don’t see any threats out of Sean Strickland. And it’s an entertaining fight that I might entertain in the future.”