Colby Covington is one of UFC’s biggest names at the moment.

He is currently ranked number one in the UFC welterweight rankings, and is just coming off a big victory over rival Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272.

However, his recent successes are not the reason he is being hotly spoken about right now.

Covington had caused controversy with comments made in the build up to the fight, describing Masvidal as “a deadbeat dad,” as well as claiming he was neglecting his children. 

If Covington’s aim was to rile up Masvidal with these comments, he was certainly successful, as the latter this week was arrested and charged for allegedly ambushing Covington at a restaurant in Miami.

Now, other names in the world of UFC are having their say on the matter.

Khabib Nurmagomedov has encouraged welterweights to refuse to fight Covington in an astonishing statement posted to Twitter to show him his words will not be tolerated.

"If you are stronger than someone inside the Cctagon, it does not mean that you can insult his children. No one has the right to insult someone's family.

"Once you have gone down this path, then be ready to back up your words. You were attacked by professional fighter, the same as you are, your own size, and you go press charges against him to the police?

"I think all welterweights should refuse to fight Colby. Just don't accept fights with him, let him sit without a fight, it will probably significantly affect him and all fighters who even think of insulting families, who is provoking the fighters to look for someone in restaurants to deal with him."

Khabib himself has been on the receiving end of Covington’s trash talk, but tends to keep quiet on the matter.

In the past, Covington has referred to Khabib as a “sheep lover,” relating to the Dagestani’s background.

With the recent charges given to Masvidal for the incident with Covington, only time will tell to see what the future holds and if anyone will refuse to fight him.