Colby Covington isn’t one to let words slide. Sometimes he just needs time to respond.

Nearly two weeks ago, the former UFC interim welterweight champion smeared Jon Jones on Twitter ahead of his light heavyweight title defense vs. Anthony Smith at UFC 235. Smith was having none of it, though, and implored Covington to “stop throwing shade at my fight.”

Five days later, Smith made an appearance on “The MMA Hour” in which he described Covington as “a scared cat” when he’s not trying to maintain a villainous gimmick in front of cameras.

Covington finally fired back during a recent appearance on “Submission Radio.”

“Yeah, he’s a total mark,” Covington said. “You know, the guy, he hasn’t beat anybody that wasn’t 10 years past their prime coming off the steroids. He’s on, what, a three-fight win streak, and he was just getting knocked out by (middleweights). So, the guy’s a complete joke. Everything he’s saying, ‘Oh, we were in the gym.’ Dude, you never came up to me in the gym. You trained on the opposite side of the gym. Who’s the (expletive)?

“Like, the guy’s irrelevant. He shouldn’t even be fighting for a title. But hats off to him: He’s getting a title shot. But I’m gonna stick to winning belts. He’s never going to be winning a belt, so that’s something we ain’t going to have to worry about. I’m going to stick to winning belts and go to the White House.”

Covington last year claimed the interim welterweight title with a unanimous-decision win over Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 225. Soon after, he was accompanied by UFC President Dana White on a trip to visit President Trump at the White House.

Covington hasn’t fought since UFC 225 last June. He underwent a nasal procedure that prevented him from unifying the title with champion Tyron Woodley at UFC 228 in September. Covington and Woodley also were unable to book a fight in January at the eventually cancelled UFC 233 event, resulting in White stripping Covington of his interim champ status.

Covington has since threatened to sue the UFC, and it’s unclear when – or if – he’ll return to the octagon. What is clear, however, is that he’s less than impressed with Smith, whose rise in the 205-pound division has been rapid.

“I could give a (expletive) less about the guy,” Covington said. “He’s a junior. He’s not on my level. He shouldn’t even be talking to a king. He’s never going to win a belt. He’s never going to the White House. The guy’s an amateur, and he shouldn’t even be fighting for a title, but he’s in one of the weakest divisions in the UFC, so hats off to him.

“He gets his show-up money to take a loss, and that’s the end of him. We’re focusing on me.”

UFC 235, headlined by Jones vs. Smith, takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and UFC Fight Pass.

For more on UFC 235, visit the UFC Rumors section of the site.