Manager: Covington back to training next month

Colby Covington expects to be back training at American Top Team in February according to his co-manager Dan Lambert.

"He had a small fracture in the jaw. It did not (need to be) wired shut or anything along those lines," Lambert told theScore. "He’s back just healing up, resting and relaxing. I expect him back in the gym in a couple of weeks. Full throttle from there, that’s the way that kid is."

Covington (15-2) suffered the injury after he was knocked out by welterweight champion Kamaru Usman last month at UFC 245. According to Lambert, the former interim champion is scheduled to compete in a grappling match this March.

"(I spoke to Colby) a couple of days ago. I think he’s doing a --- high-profile grappling match coming up in maybe March down here (in Florida). I think it’s just a chance to get out there, compete a little bit. Make a little bit of money, it’s probably something fun for him."

Lambert believes Covington's next fight could take place sometime this spring against a ranked opponent.

"He’ll be training in February so I mean in theory he’ll be ready to fight as early as April, maybe May. But that depends on what he wants to do, what the UFC has in mind for him opponent wise. A lot of things have to happen before he gets back in there, so I guess we’ll have to see.

"... Anybody in the Top 10 I’m sure or Top 5, Colby is still ranked one or two. So he’s right up there, so I think (his opponent) is going have to be somebody to excite him. Somebody that’s a big fight for him, that puts him right in position to get a title shot after that."