MMA News

Tag: Colby Covington

  • Joaquin Buckley Open To Fighting Different Former Champ If Usman Rejects Callout

    Joaquin Buckley Open To Fighting Different Former Champ If Usman Rejects Callout

    Joaquin Buckley earned his biggest win to date at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City to extend his welterweight winning streak to five. “New Mansa” became just the second man to stop Stephen Thompson with strikes in the UFC after exploding forward in the third round.

    Buckley, who has been criticized for his post-fight call outs in the past, had one name in mind that seemed to go down well with the fans and media. He called to face former champion Kamaru Usman who has been inactive since his short notice bout with Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 last year.

    The #9-ranked contender hasn’t received the response that he would’ve wanted but fortunately for him, he has names other than Usman on his hit list.

    In a recent interview with Luke Thomas, Buckley gave his thoughts on the rest of the welterweight top ten where some big fights could be coming soon.

    After speaking about the upcoming title fight in his division at UFC 310, the former middleweight weighed in with his take on a potential fight between the undefeated Ian Machado Garry and the former interim champion Colby Covington.

    This is a fight that Garry was pushing for heavily at one stage but despite several replies from Covington, never got any closer to happen and as a result, “Chaos” hasn’t fought since his disappointing performance at UFC 296.

    Buckley said that due to the name and ranking that Covington still holds at 170-pounds, this is a fight that would interest him if the Usman match-up doesn’t happen. Thomas initially asked “New Mansa” whether in his opinion, Covington is “washed” at 26-years old considering his lack of activity.

    “That’s a question for him to answer to but my thing is, the last fight that he had was against Leon Edwards and that was about a year ago now, so time ain’t on nobody’s side. If you really want to show the world what you up to and what you’ve been doing and how you been working, you got to take a fight. I’m happy to find out myself too with Colby Covington if he ain’t got nothing lined up.”

  • ‘This Is Attempted Murder’ – Fans React To Colby Covington Ignoring Taps To Choke Rapper Lil Pump Unconscious

    ‘This Is Attempted Murder’ – Fans React To Colby Covington Ignoring Taps To Choke Rapper Lil Pump Unconscious

    Colby Covington is not exactly known as a finisher in the Octagon, but he was able to secure a submission during a recent sparring session caught on video.

    Unfortunately for him, it was not on a fellow fighter but on rapper Lil Pump. And Covington is under heavy criticism for his behavior in the midst of the rear-naked choke submission he applied.

    Covington locked in the submission, to which Lil Pump tapped out multiple times. But the former interim UFC welterweight champion elected to not let go, instead holding on to the choke even after Lil Pump tapped multiple times. Covington kept the move on until the rapper was rendered unconscious.

    Since the incident was posted to social media, many have criticized Covington for his acts. Some have called for him to be demoted in jiu-jitsu belt ranking, while others say his behavior should get him thrown out of the sport.

    Colby Covington Sparks Controversy By Choking Rapper Lip Pump Unconscious

    https://twitter.com/offsetmistress/status/1837705823155286048
    https://twitter.com/TKsMantis/status/1837893668835151875?t=5xCzL8mOcwWRt3j3wAxW8g&s=19
    https://twitter.com/1KevHamilton/status/1837961259532128646?t=aBUvfTHPAK52-F5muqyoWg&s=19

    This is not the first time that a fighter has sparked controversy for the events of a sparring session. Earlier this year, a particularly violent exchange broke out involving Sean Strickland and streamer Sneako.

    Covington has not been seen in action since his unsuccessful challenge of the UFC welterweight championship against Leon Edwards at UFC 296.

  • Sean Brady Begs UFC To Let Him Fight Former Title Challenger Next: ‘Please…I Will Murder Him!’

    Sean Brady Begs UFC To Let Him Fight Former Title Challenger Next: ‘Please…I Will Murder Him!’

    UFC welterweight contender Sean Brady has big fights in his sights after likely moving close to the top five with a victory over Gilbert Burns this past weekend.

    Brady made it two wins on the bounce in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night main event. Since suffering his first career defeat at the hands of then-future champion Belal Muhammad in 2022 and subsequently missing 14 months through injury, the 31-year-old has gotten the better of Kelvin Gastelum and now “Durinho.”

    The Philadelphia native and his Brazilian counterpart headlined the event on September 7, going five rounds inside the Apex in Las Vegas. Brady had his hand raised by way of a convincing unanimous decision.

    Having beaten the #6 contender, Brady can expect to find himself within touching distance of the title picture come the next rankings update. And to break into it, he wouldn’t mind facing the man occupying #5…

    Brady Keen For Covington Clash After UFC Fight Night Main Event Win

    During Saturday’s post-fight press conference, Brady reflected on his first main event win on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.

    In terms of what could come next as a result, Brady had a couple of names in mind, one of whom’s career is in limbo following a third failed bid for title glory last time out.

    “I’ll fight Colby (Covington). I think Colby is the easiest matchup in the division. I’ll piece him up on the feet. I’ll rag doll him,” Covington said. “I’ll fight Colby in a heartbeat. UFC, please give me Colby, I will murder him. He shouldn’t even be ranked. When’s the last time he fought?”

    Covington wasn’t the only notable name on Brady’s lips at the Apex. Both inside the Octagon and at the presser, the Philadelphia standout staked his claim for the chance to blemish the perfect record of Ian Garry.

    It remains to be seen what the UFC will choose for Brady next, but there’s no doubt that the 31-year-old has got himself back on track less than two years on from his setback at the hands of Muhammad.

  • ‘Mates With Jorge Masvidal’ – MMA Analyst Explains Why Rumored Dustin Poirier vs. Colby Covington Fight Makes Perfect Sense

    ‘Mates With Jorge Masvidal’ – MMA Analyst Explains Why Rumored Dustin Poirier vs. Colby Covington Fight Makes Perfect Sense

    Dustin Poirier has had an illustrious UFC career despite never winning an undisputed championship. He’s fought for the title three times, but came up short against Khabib Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira, and Islam Makhachev. He did become the interim UFC lightweight kingpin by beating Max Holloway, though.

    Colby Covington has had a similar run in the UFC welterweight division. He won the interim title by beating Rafael dos Anjos but is 0-3 in undisputed title fights against the likes of Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards.

    Although both Covington and Poirier have still been adamant about fighting for titles, rumors suggest that they might meet in the Octagon soon. Here’s why Michael Bisping and award-winning broadcaster Adam Catterall are big fans of the matchup…

    Michael Bisping Excited To See Dustin Poirier vs. Colby Covington As The UFC 309 Co-Main Event Under Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic

    Bisping and Catterall discussed the potential matchup between Poirier and Covington on the Michael Bisping Podcast YouTube channel recently. As soon as ‘The Count’ brought up the rumors, Catterall couldn’t hide his excitement.

    “He’s [Colby Covington] got his opportunities. He’s not getting that opportunity again, anytime soon. He needs something big. He needs something juicy. He needs something to get himself up for it. Dustin Poirier is that name. A legend of the game. A guy that has been there, done it, got the T-shirt. You’ve just mentioned beef. Bit of bad blood. Dustin Poirier’s mates with Jorge Masvidal, he needs to get that one back for his pal, don’t he?”

    The radio and TV presenter also highlighted that “The Diamond” is friends with Jorge Masvidal. The latter fought Covington in March 2022 after their long-time friendship turned bitter. Masvidal and “Chaos” have even had physical altercations outside the UFC, and their rivalry is as personal as it gets.

    So, fighting Covington is a great way for Poirier to avenge Masvidal’s loss. He’s admitted to not liking the former interim UFC welterweight champion as well, and Bisping is very excited to see this beef getting settled inside the Octagon.

    It’s unlikely for both Poirier and Covington to get title shots in their divisions now. However, as two of the biggest stars in the UFC, their fight can easily generate all the hype in the world. Bisping credited Covington for being an excellent promoter who can easily capitalize on the real resentment with his opponent this time around.

    “Listen, Colby, say what you want about him. The man’s a promotion machine. With all like the personal stuff that they can go to, They would blow that fight up, like crazy. I’d want to see it.”

    If the rumors are true, Poirier vs. Covington will be scheduled for UFC 309, the card expected to feature Jones vs. Miocic as the main event. It is safe to assume that tons of fans will tune in to watch the fight regardless of when it happens, though.

  • Charles Oliveira Lists 8 Opponent Options For Fans To Choose From For His UFC Return: ‘Who Would You Like To See?’

    Charles Oliveira Lists 8 Opponent Options For Fans To Choose From For His UFC Return: ‘Who Would You Like To See?’

    Charles Oliveira lost a razor-close decision to Arman Tsarukyan last time out at UFC 300, and he’s now looking for a new opponent.

    With 19 post-fight bonuses, the Brazilian’s easily one of the most exciting fighters in the UFC and there are several intriguing matchups for him.

    Oliveira bagged the UFC lightweight championship by beating Michael Chandler in May 2021. He defended it against Dustin Poirier before being stripped after missing weight prior to his victory over Justin Gaethje.

    Since failing to regain the title in his clash with Islam Makhachev, he’s defeated Beneil Dariush and is looking for another high-profile win to get a another shot at the gold.

    From Makhachev to Colby Covington, here are all the fighters that Oliveira is open to facing in his UFC return…

    Oliveira Eyes Rematch Against Makhachev, Also Open To Money Fights With McGregor, Covington, Poirier

    Oliveira recently posted training footage on Instagram and asked his fans to choose his next opponent. He’s willing to fight the following names on the UFC roster:

    • Islam Makhachev
    • Arman Tsarukyan
    • Dustin Poirier
    • Conor McGregor
    • Max Holloway
    • Justin Gaethje
    • Alexander Volkanovski
    • Colby Covington

    Alongside the list, Oliveira declared his intention to fight shortly.

    “Who would you like to see me fight next? The Lion is ready!!”

    “Do Bronx” has already fought Tsarukyan, Makhachev, Poirier, Gaethje, and Holloway. While Makhachev submitted him in the second, he fought through adversity to beat “The Diamond” and “The Highlight.” The fight with Holloway ended due to the Brazilian sustaining a shoulder injury, and fans could look forward to seeing the rematch more than ever now.

    The other matchups on the list won’t necessarily move the needle in the UFC lightweight division. McGregor has lost three out of his last four fights and will most likely return to face Michael Chandler. Volkanovski, meanwhile, is 0-2 in the lightweight division and has yet to rematch Ilia Topuria for the UFC featherweight title.

    Covington is another opponent that “Do Bronx” would fight to entertain the fans. The former interim UFC welterweight champion decisively lost to Leon Edwards in his last fight and appears unlikely to fight for the title again.

    Regardless of the opponent, it is safe to assume that Oliveira will bring the fight to the Octagon and give fans another gritty performance.

  • Colby Covington Describes Running Into Dustin Poirier At Florida Restaurant: ‘He Walked Out Like A Good Little B*tch’

    Colby Covington Describes Running Into Dustin Poirier At Florida Restaurant: ‘He Walked Out Like A Good Little B*tch’

    It’s been a little while now since UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington was publicly beefing with a fellow fighter, but some grudges don’t go away that easily.

    The former interim welterweight champion’s high profile split from American Top Team meant that some relationships weren’t able to be rebuilt.

    Most notably, he and his former training partner Jorge Masvidal will probably never see eye-to-eye again after what happened between them both before and after they met inside the Octagon at UFC 272.

    There is another former teammate of his who will also not bury the hatchet, and with Covington still living and training around the same area, they’re bound to cross paths…

    Colby Covington Says Dustin Poirier Had His Chance But Didn’t Do Anything Last Time They Met

    In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Covington was asked whether he has encountered Dustin Poirier whilst being out in Florida. He said that this exact scenario actually played out not that long ago.

    In Covington’s version of events, “The Diamond” got up and left without saying anything.

    “Chaos” has called to fight his former ATT teammate several times in the past, but with lightweight fan favorite Poirier seemingly being ready to wind his career down, this looks unlikely.

    Covington stated that despite Poirier previously claiming that it was “on sight” between them, there wasn’t much of an interaction.

    “That’s funny you say that. I crossed paths with him about three months ago at NYY Steakhouse, Coconut Creek Casino, which is in the same city he trains at, the gym. He came by the steakhouse and I looked at him eye-to-eye and I was like, ‘What’s up b****? It’s on sight? Do something, say something,’ and he just walked right out the restaurant because he knows.

    “You can talk big to the media, you can talk big in front of a camera, but when you’re in front of someone’s face and you feel their energy and you know what they’re capable of, that’s when it’s a different story. Now you can’t run your mouth, now you can’t do anything. If you wanted to do something, he could have done something. I stood up, I looked him right in the eyes and he walked right out of the restaurant like a good little b****.”

  • Colby Covington Unimpressed By Belal Muhammad’s UFC 304 Title Win: ‘He’s Obviously On The Right Steroids’

    Colby Covington Unimpressed By Belal Muhammad’s UFC 304 Title Win: ‘He’s Obviously On The Right Steroids’

    We can unsurprisingly count UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington among those unimpressed by his division’s newly crowned champion.

    Belal Muhammad completed his ascent to the mountaintop on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage this past weekend, getting the better of Leon Edwards in the main event of the UFC 304 pay-per-view at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena.

    The five-round headliner was largely dominant for the challenger, who made good on his promise to unseat “Rocky” in emphatic fashion and begin a new era at 170 pounds.

    Of course, while plenty were left impressed by Muhammad’s efforts in England, he still has his fair share of detractors. Among them is Covington…

    Covington On UFC 304 Main Event: ‘I Can Tell You Who Lost & That’s The Fans’

    During a recent interview with Submission Radio, Covington gave his first reaction to Muhammad’s championship victory across the pond this past weekend.

    Despite not watching the fight itself, “Chaos” was confident that it would have been short on entertainment and a poor watch for the fanbase.

    And after taking aim at both the new champ and his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, “Chaos” insisted he would have no problems taking the welterweight gold away from Muhammad, whom he also accused of steroid use.

    “I can tell you who lost and that’s the fans. I feel bad for the fans that they got robbed of some entertainment,” Covington said. “Belal the racist juice monkey won. Now that he finally made his first check off the prelims, he can finally fix that dildo that’s on his face. … That’s only if Ali doesn’t take all his money because we know his scumbag manager is a thief.

    “I didn’t watch the fight, man. … I know that Leon made so much money in the last fight with me that I don’t think he’s hungry anymore,” Covington continued. “(Muhammad’s) a f*cking p*ssy. … The only time (he) wanted to fight me was when I already had a title fight signed, sealed, and delivered. Otherwise he’s never said my name because he knows he’s a little b*tch and he knows what I’d do to him. If I cross paths with him, he won’t be champion anymore. … I’d love to fight him. I’ll do whatever it takes to get to that. … He’s got nothing for me. … He’s obviously on the right steroids right now, doing the right cycles. He had a one night, lightning in a bottle-type performance.”

    Despite Covington’s claims, Muhammad had mentioned him long before his title shot was confirmed last year. “Remember the Name” called out “Chaos” way back in 2017 in the aftermath of his victory over Tim Means at UFC Fight Night 121 in Sydney, Australia.

    It didn’t take long for Muhammad to respond, taking aim at Covington 0-3 record in undisputed UFC welterweight title fights in a comment under a clip of the ex-interim titleholder’s recent remarks.

    Covington most recently fell short of the belt in Edwards’ second defense. A comfortable decision victory for the Brit followed the American’s two previous title losses at the hands of Kamaru Usman in 2019 and 2021.

  • Dustin Poirier Limits Opponent Options For Next Fight To 7 Major Names: ‘Definitely One Of Those Guys’ 

    Former interim UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier looks set to fight again, and there’s a select few names he sees as suitable opponents.

    Retirement was among the most prominent talking points leading into Poirier’s third shot at the undisputed throne last month at UFC 302, where Newark’s Prudential Center played host to his enthralling battle with Islam Makhachev.

    “The Diamond” hinted pre-fight that it could mark his farewell win or lose, and his Octagon interview in the aftermath of being submitted in the fifth and final round suggested it was the end of a memorable career.

    But in the weeks since, Poirier has had somewhat of a change of heart, revealing that he’s actually leaning toward another appearance in the cage in an attempt to exit the sport on a win.

    And by the sounds of it, “The Diamond” has a small group of possible foes in mind…

    Poirier’s Next Opponent ‘Definitely’ On Anik Shortlist

    During a recent appearance on the Anik & Florian Podcast, Poirier further addressed talk of his retirement and the potential for one final fight post-title defeat to Makhachev.

    “After the Islam fight, when I got back home, I thought like, ‘Maybe this is it.’ And then a few weeks went by, injuries started hurting less and less post-fight, and I was like, ‘I gotta do this again.’ I’ve never lost two in a row. I can’t leave this sport on a loss,” Poirier said. “But at the same time, I wanna be 100 percent in it if I’m gonna do it again because I don’t want to disrespect the sport.”

    And with close to confirmation that “The Diamond” will indeed feel the Octagon canvas beneath his feat at least one more time, Anik presented a list of potential opponents for the Louisianan.

    Poirier was asked whether he expects his next rival to come from a shortlist of seven major names — Nate Diaz, Conor McGregor, Alexander Volkanovski, Justin Gaethje, Max Holloway, Charles Oliveira, and Colby Covington.

    “100 percent,” Poirier said. “Yeah, for sure. If I do fight again, and when I do fight again, it’ll be definitely one of those guys you just said.”

    Poirier has direct history with all but former featherweight kingpin Alexander Volkanovski, having already fought McGregor, Gaethje, Holloway, and Oliveira, trained with Covington before his bitter split from American Top Team, and had a previously booked showdown with Diaz fall through.

    It remains to be seen which big name will get the call for what could be “The Diamond’s” farewell. But whoever it is, the matchup will no doubt be highly anticipated should it come from that seven-figure list.

  • Dan Hardy Names Fighters He Thinks Will Dominate UFC’s Welterweight Division In Years To Come: ‘Some Of The Best Hands In All Of MMA!’

    Dan Hardy Names Fighters He Thinks Will Dominate UFC’s Welterweight Division In Years To Come: ‘Some Of The Best Hands In All Of MMA!’

    The UFC’s welterweight division has always been one of the most talent-stacked weight classes in MMA.

    Champions such as Georges St-Pierre, Tyron Woodley, and Kamaru Usman have each built legacies at 170 pounds that will be spoken about for decades to come, while other names like Matt Hughes, Robbie Lawler, and Carlos Condit have all gone down in the history books as some of the finest fighters to ever grace the sport.

    Current welterweight champion Leon Edwards is set to defend his title against Belal Muhammed in Manchester, England, later this month, and there are a number of exciting options awaiting “Rocky” should he emerge victorious from the main event of UFC 304 on July 27.

    Dan Hardy Gives His Thoughts On New UFC Welterweight Stars

    Another UFC welterweight legend has been giving his thoughts on the exciting young prospects populating the top 10 at 170 pounds this week.

    Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy fought in the Octagon 10 times between 2008 and 2012 and faced Georges St-Pierre for the title at UFC 111, so it’s safe to say he knows a thing or two about what it takes to hang with the elite of that particular division.

    “It does feel like it’s wide open,” Hardy said during a recent appearance on the From The Stands podcast. “We’ve got a lot of newer faces in the division now that have started to come and clear out the Colby Covingtons and Kamaru Usmans that are no longer really in the topics of conversation, which is good for the division.

    “We talk about Shavkat (Rakhmonov), and Ian Garry…either him or Shavkat (are talked about as) being the guy,” Hardy continued. “Clearly Ian Garry holds him in very high regard, as we all do as well. but Ian Garry and Shavkat are two of the new faces that are most likely going to define this division in the next few years.”

    Hardy also added two more names to the list.

    “Jack Della Maddalena…some of the best hands in all of mixed martial arts in my opinion. He’s got very, very slick boxing. I think he can go a long way.

    “Another one…Sean Brady. I still feel like Sean Brady’s going to be one of the most difficult fights for any single person in the division.”

    With a combined record of 66 wins and only three losses, the quartet of Garry, Rakhmonov, Brady, and Della Maddalena are not only freshening up the welterweight division, they seem to be raising the bar to new heights entirely.

  • Colby Covington Claims Nick Diaz Ducked Him But Will Not ‘Put Down The Diaz Brothers & Talk S**t About Them’

    MMA legend Nick Diaz is set to return to the Octagon on August 3 when he faces Vicente Luque in Abu Dhabi.

    It has been three years since the Stockton original last competed in the UFC and that, in turn, was a comeback from a six-year hiatus.

    Before his fight with Robbie Lawler at UFC 266, Diaz was reportedly offered several opponents before the decision was made to run back his first clash with Lawler.

    Colby Covington revealed in a recent interview with Submission Radio that he was one of the names in contention for a fight with Diaz – which would have surely been chaotic to say the least.

    Colby Covington Says Nick Diaz ‘Ducked’ The Fight But He Has Nothing Bad To Say About Him

    During the interview, Covington spoke about how there were talks of him facing off with Diaz back in 2021, with Madison Square Garden as a potential destination.

    The former three-time UFC welterweight title challenger said that he understands why the UFC hasn’t attempted to revisit this fight after Diaz turned this option down.

    “Unfortunately, he hasn’t been offered to me in about three years. The last time Hunter had called me with Nick Diaz’s name across my desk was when they offered me to him in Madison Square Garden about three years ago so, he turned down the fight, he didn’t want the fight so I think the UFC just knows that they can’t match that up.

    “I mean, that’s the biggest mismatch in UFC history to give me a guy like Nick Diaz so it wouldn’t be doing the company any justice to put some guy that’s over the hill and past his prime versus the guy that’s in his prime and the best welterweight on earth right now, Colby Covington.

    Covington also said that despite this and some comments that the Diaz brothers have made over the years, he has no hard feelings towards them after this fight didn’t come together.

    He said that he even shared a moment with the elder Diaz following one of his fights where the leader of the “Nick Diaz Army” was very complimentary of his skills and career.

    Covington states that despite Diaz being “scared” to fight him, he has nothing negative to say about one of MMA’s most iconic siblings.

    “He knew at that time that I was the best welterweight on earth. He came up to me one time when I fought, after UFC Sacramento, and he’s like, ‘Yeah you’re the future of this division’ and showed me a lot of respect so I’m not going to put down the Diaz brothers and talk s*** about them.

    “They’ve said some things about me but they’ve done great things in this sport and I’m not going to sit down and say anything bad about them but he did dodge the fight. He was scared to fight me and that’s facts, that’s truth.”

    Read also: Colby Covington Reacts To Ian Garry’s Latest Victory At UFC 303: ‘Anybody Could Be 15-0 Fighting 15 Bums’

  • Colby Covington Reacts To Ian Garry’s Latest Victory At UFC 303: ‘Anybody Could Be 15-0 Fighting 15 Bums’

    UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington unsurprisingly had a firm take on rival Ian Garry’s recent success inside the Octagon.

    Garry emerged victorious from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas this past weekend, where he opened the UFC 303 pay-per-view card alongside striking specialist Michael “Venom” Page.

    The pair didn’t set the cage alight as some were expecting, with the Irishman instead utilizing his grappling to get the better of “MVP” in rounds one and three to secure a unanimous decision triumph on the scorecards.

    In the lead-up, the former Cage Warriors champion expressed absolutely no interest in squaring off with Page at UFC 303, an event at which he’d initially hoped to face Covington as the co-headlining act for Conor McGregor’s return.

    “Chaos” publicly dismissed that matchup, branding Garry a “nobody.” And he believes that stance has been vindicated having seen the Dubliner’s efforts on Saturday night…

    Covington On Garry’s UFC 303 Performance: ‘That Was Pathetic!’

    During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Covington provided his thoughts on Garry’s decision win over Page on June 29, which extended his perfect professional record to 15-0.

    “Chaos” laughed off mention of that unblemished slate, suggesting that Garry has built it by fighting “bums.” And while insisting that “The Future’s” performance was well below requirement, Covington mentioned UFC CEO Dana White’s take on the UFC 303 main card opener to support his point.

    “Fighting cans from the Indian Casinos league, oh, big deal,” Covington said. “Anybody could be 15-0 fighting a bunch of 15 bums. Even Dana White himself said what he thought of the performance. He thought it was a draw. He doesn’t think there should have been a winner.

    “I feel bad for the fans. The fans got robbed of a pay-per-view opener. That was pathetic. That guy’s fighting the number 14 guy in the world and barely scraping by,” Covington continued. “I think he lost the fight. I feel bad for the fans. They got robbed. But it just shows how much of a bum he is. … He was willing too do whatever he wanted to get on the Conor McGregor card because his name’s ‘Corner McGregor,’ the Conor McGregor wannabe. He pulled all these strings to get on the Conor card and then Conor left him on the alter. … The guy’s an absolute nobody and he’s a bum.”

    Although much of Garry’s focus following his win over Geoff Neal in February was on Covington, it would appear that he’s accepted the sailing of that ship.

    Rather than reiterating a desire to face “Chaos” post-UFC 303, the Irishman instead mentioned Shavkat Rakhmonov and Kamaru Usman as desirable next foes. It remains to be seen who Garry will share the cage with next, but after a third straight decision, he’ll no doubt be looking to finish whoever it is inside the distance. 

  • Nate Diaz & Jake Paul Roast Jorge Masvidal For Alleged Covington Attack

    UFC star Nate Diaz and YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul have blasted Jorge Masvidal after his alleged attack on Colby Covington in Miami.

    Masvidal allegedly confronted Covington outside of a restaurant in Miami on Monday night, hitting him with a couple of punches before the two sides were separated. Covington suffered a fractured tooth as a result of the assault and Masvidal could face a felony battery charge.

    Masvidal and Covington fought in the UFC 272 headliner, with Covington earning a unanimous decision victory. Yet, the two former friends and teammates have continued the banter on social media in recent weeks.

    After news broke of the alleged altercation, Diaz and Paul aimed at Masvidal for the alleged assault on Covington. First, Diaz referenced Masvidal’s self-published video apparently gloating about the attack.

    “How u gonna snitch on yourself,” Diaz tweeted.

    Diaz fell to Masvidal for the self-coined BMF title at UFC 244. He most recently fought against Leon Edwards at UFC 263 and is allegedly eying a matchup with Dustin Poirier this year.

    Paul also blasted Masvidal on social media for the alleged attack, just over a year since they worked out together briefly as Paul prepared to face Ben Askren in the boxing ring.

    “2 facts of the day: #1 Masvidal is a bitch for ambushing Colby. Couldn’t hurt him in the cage so try to blindside him?” Paul said.

    “#2 UFC always says it’s increased fighter pay 600% since 2005. Per Huddle Up, UFC revenue is up 1,700% since 05 and PROFITS up by 6,200%. 10x fighter pay!!!”

    Paul called out Masvidal for a boxing match following his most recent win in the ring over Tyron Woodley last December. He’s aiming at a return to boxing later this year.

    Diaz and Paul aren’t the only ones to mock Masvidal after the incident. UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman also took to social media and mocked both Masvidal and Covington for the brawl.

    The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

    What are your thoughts on the alleged Jorge Masvidal/Colby Covington incident?

  • Report: Jorge Masvidal Faces Potential Felony Following Covington Brawl

    Jorge Masvidal may face a felony battery charge stemming from his altercation with Colby Covington outside a Miami restaurant.

    Covington was outside of the Papi Steak Restaurant in Miami, FL when Masvidal allegedly attacked him with a punch to the mouth another punch to the left eye. According to a recently-released police report obtained by MMA Fighting, Covington suffered a fractured tooth and suffered an abrasion on his left wrist as a result of the assault.

    During the altercation, Covington told Miami police that he heard Masvidal say “You shouldn’t have been talking about my kids”. Covington has repeatedly accused Masvidal of being a “deadbeat dad” to his kids and has mocked Masvidal’s past relationship with the mother of their children.

    The investigation into the altercation is ongoing and if Covington can prove that Masvidal assaulted him, Masvidal may face legal action.

    No charges have been filed against Masvidal yet and he has not been arrested for his alleged actions against Covington.

    Masvidal was involved in a similar incident with Leon Edwards back in early 2019. After verbal banter turned into a sudden attack backstage, Masvidal didn’t face charges for the infamous “three-piece and a soda” assault on Edwards.

    MMA News will keep you updated on any further updates on this developing story.

  • Kamaru Usman Reacts To Covington/Masvidal Brawl In Miami

    UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman has given his thoughts on the recent altercation between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington.

    Masvidal and Covington allegedly got into a fistfight outside of a steakhouse in Miami, FL on Monday night. Covington had been dining with YouTube podcasters The Nelk Boys when he was confronted by Masvidal as he was leaving the restaurant.

    No arrests were made following the incident and the investigation is ongoing by local police.

    Hours after news of the incident broke, Usman gave his thoughts on his Twitter page and mocked his two former rivals.

    “This is not how we conduct our selves in this house,” Usman tweeted.

    Usman has referred to Masvidal and Covington as his “sons” after beating both of them twice. While both of his fights with Covington were closely contested, Usman earned a fifth-round TKO in their first fight followed by a unanimous decision win in their rematch.

    Usman defeated Masvidal via a unanimous decision at UFC 251 in a short-notice clash before knocking him out in their rematch at UFC 261.

    Usman later replied to a fan that alluded to the Masvidal/Covington brawl and promised “consequences” following the incident.

    “This is unacceptable,” Usman replied. “I will have a hard TALK with both when they get home.”

    Usman is expected to defend his title against top contender Leon Edwards later this year. The UFC’s top pound-for-pound fighter has also flirted with the idea of facing boxing world champion Canelo Alvarez in a crossover fight.

    Covington recently defeated Masvidal in their grudge match at UFC 272 via a unanimous decision. He could be on the verge of a potential third fight with Usman while Masvidal is looking to snap a three-fight losing skid in his Octagon return.

    What are your thoughts on Kamaru Usman’s response to the incident involving Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal?

  • Sean Strickland Blasts ‘Pathetic’ Colby Covington Over Recent Comments

    It’s safe to say that Sean Strickland is not a fan of Colby Covington.

    After Covington defeated Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272, he was asked in an interview about his thoughts on Strickland, and ‘Chaos’ was dismissive saying he didn’t know who he was and wondered if Strickland was a girl.

    After catching wind of the comments, Strickland took to his Instagram to blast Covington for his comments. (h/t MMAMania)

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CbYNoO8P3f2/

    “I thought [Donald] Trump’s c—k would of been too deep in your mouth for you to speak …” Strickland’s caption to an Instagram video read. “Just because someone can fight doesn’t mean their not a coward.. @colbycovmma Look what happened when you got called out for being a troll you ran away and pulled out your phone. You’re a f-cking Karen.

    “Covington, you like to run your f—king mouth,” Strickland continued. “You didn’t run your mouth when I seen you now you run your mouth now on the internet. Bro, we all see what [Fabricio] Werdum did to you. Werdum walked up to you, f—king punked you, you ran away and you pulled out your phone and recorded him like a f—king Karen, bro. You’re a f—king embarrassment. Yeah, I’ll be honest with you, you’re a good fighter but like, as far as a man, you’re f—king pathetic.”

    Of course, the Werdum incident he is talking about was when he allegedly threw a boomerang at Covington in Australia and it caused quite a scene. It also shouldn’t be a surprise to see Sean Strickland take a shot at Covington, as he is also vocal about a lot of things.

    Although Strickland is taking a shot at Covington, it seems unlikely they will ever fight. Strickland is at middleweight and seems comfortable there while Covington is a welterweight. However, he has talked about wanting to face Israel Adesanya, so maybe he’ll consider moving up to face Strickland first prior to ideally challenging Adesanya.

    Would you like to see Sean Strickland fight Colby Covington?

  • Masvidal & Covington Reportedly Brawl In Restaurant, Police Called

    Best friends turned sworn enemies Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington reportedly extended their UFC 272 fight to a 6th round inside a Miami restaurant Monday night.

    Following the grudge match between Masvidal and Covington at UFC 272, it instantly became clear that there was still animosity between the two former pals.

    The beef continued with Covington gloating about his unanimous decision victory over Masvidal via relentless trolling and insults towards Masvidal long after the end of their contest. As for Masvidal, he did not mince words when he said that should he ever cross paths with Covington on the streets of Miami, he would still try to break his face.

    Colby Covington
    Colby Covington With Custom-Made “King of Miami” Belt

    Covington issued similar remarks. After once again proclaiming himself to be the “King of Miami,” he banished Masvidal from the city and warned that if Masvidal disobeyed the order to vacate, he would get “sparked” as a penalty.

    As it happens, both men reportedly had an opportunity to back up their words Monday night.

    Masvidal & Covington Reportedly Brawl In Restaurant

    According to the initial report from Andy Slater of FoxSports640, Masvidal and Covington fought inside Papi Steak restaurant in Miami Beach, Florida. Video soon emerged of Covington in the aftermath of the alleged brawl with several police officers nearby. You can view that video below.

    https://twitter.com/wiseguyMMA/status/1506139363046010883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1506139363046010883%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffansided.com%2F2022%2F03%2F21%2Fpolice-colby-covington-jorge-masvidal-fight-restaraunt%2F

    In the above video, Covington could be heard asking how Masvidal found out where he was. The man he was speaking to, identified as social media influencer Bob Menery, responded by informing Covington that he is all over the internet.

    Word of Covington hanging out with the Nelk Boys did, in fact, make its rounds over the web Monday and is what most likely tipped Masvidal off to Covington’s location.

    Team Masvidal React To Alleged Altercation

    There are currently no reports indicating any arrests were made following the alleged altercation; yet, Masvidal still proposed a mug-shot challenge, if you will, in order to settle who was the victor of round 6.

    https://twitter.com/GamebredFighter/status/1506117739139805188?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1506117739139805188%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffansided.com%2F2022%2F03%2F21%2Fpolice-colby-covington-jorge-masvidal-fight-restaraunt%2F

    “I’m calling this the ‘Show Your Face Challenge.’ What’s up? I’m from Dade County. You talk that shit, you gotta back it up. That’s how my city rolls, man,” Masvidal said.

    Masvidal’s manager, Malki Kawa, would also hop on social media to imply that Covington’s face was indeed “broken” to the extent of a missing tooth.

    “I’m hearing that a someone not from miami who says he’s the king of it is missing a tooth. Can someone confirm this? I need the video asap.”

    Coincidentally, Masvidal shared a story prior to UFC 272 where he once invited Covington to a sushi restaurant to settle their differences. Judging from all appearances, the former buddies opted to resolve matters over some beefy steak instead.

    MMA News will keep you updated on this developing story and provide any video of the alleged brawl between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington the moment it becomes available.

  • Smith Thinks Masvidal’s “Hate And Rage” Was A Factor in Covington Loss

    UFC fighter and commentator Anthony Smith thinks Jorge Masvidal’s hate for Colby Covington ended up being his downfall.

    Masvidal fell to his former friend turned bitter rival Covington in the UFC 272 main event via a unanimous decision. It was a culmination of bad blood and personalized trash talk that had built for months leading up to the fight.

    Covington went as far as invoking Masvidal’s personal life, specifically his ex-wife and children, into the mental warfare. This appeared to amp the intensity even more during fight week.

    After the fight, Masvidal explained that he felt “flat” with his wrestling and that it was a major factor in his loss. This prompted critiques from ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith and others on his post-fight comments.

    During a recent episode of the Believe You Me podcast with Michael Bisping, Anthony Smith gave a unique insight into why he believes Masvidal fell to Covington at UFC 272.

    “I could tell all week that there was something off,” Smith said of Masvidal. “But I thought that it was just a big fight, he hates him or whatever. But there was something off all week and I couldn’t put my finger on it. So I didn’t talk about it on the pre-fight show all week long because I couldn’t really figure out what it was.

    “But I figured it out afterwards after seeing him fight. He talked about being flat, but I think he was so mentally and emotionally exhausted from his absolute hate and rage. That kind of anger and hate, even if you’re holding it in and you’re not letting it come out in your fight style, that’s so much stress. And it’s exhausting, it’s mentally and emotionally exhausting, and that’s always gonna kinda transfer to your fight style and to your own conditioning. I think he hated him too much. “

    Covington hasn’t backed away from trash-talking Masvidal in the aftermath of their fight. He recently used Masvidal’s pre-fight “headline” prediction against him in an Instagram post.

    Masvidal has squashed speculation that he may opt to retire after the loss to Covington. He seems intent on a rematch with Covington down the line and returning to the magic he found in 2019.

    Do you agree with Anthony Smith’s take on Jorge Masvidal?

  • Ben Askren On Covington’s Poirier Callout: “Huge Name, Easy Win”

    Former UFC welterweight Ben Askren has given his take on Colby Covington’s post-fight callout to lightweight star Dustin Poirier at UFC 272.

    Inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on March 5, Covington accomplished a lot. Not only did he successfully rebound from a second loss to Kamaru Usman, but he also cemented his #1 spot at 170 pounds, emerged victorious in a bitter grudge match with former teammate Jorge Masvidal, and added a third name to his list of beaten ATT foes.

    As his push for a third crack at dethroning “The Nigerian Nightmare” gets underway, Covington has his next rival in mind. Unsurprisingly, it’s another with a built-in backstory that would allow for his usual level of insults and trash talk.

    In his Octagon interview with Joe Rogan, Covington made it clear he wanted Poirier next. At the post-fight press conference, “Chaos” hammered the point home by indulging in his usual personal attacks on the Louisianan and his family.

    In the aftermath, the fanbase has been largely split. While some have praised the move and called for Poirier to accept the fight, others, including Usman, who is arguably the man who matters most, have suggested a victory over Poirier would do nothing to further Covington’s cause in the welterweight division.

    Nevertheless, Covington will at least have the support of one fellow wrestling extraordinaire.

    Askren Credits Covington For “Great Callout”

    During an appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Ben Askren, a former Bellator and ONE welterweight titleholder, gave his assessment of Covington’s decision to call out Poirier over any of his fellow 170-pound contenders.

    Praising it as a “great” move, “Funky” described a Poirier fight as one that would generate high interest, but would also be low risk. For Askren, that should always be the goal when targeting opponents.

    “Great callout. Because it’s a fight that—obviously, (from) in the gym, he probably knows he’s really, really likely to win,” said Askren. “Poirier is probably a top-10 name in the UFC at this point given the fact that he’s beaten McGregor twice. So, huge name, easy win. You can’t ask for anything better than that, right?

    “If Dustin loses, he kind of looks like a chicken. Colby also can’t call anyone out above him because he’s had two shots at Marty (Usman), so it’s gonna take him a while to get that shot,” added Askren. “Dana said he can get that shot again, but it’s gonna take a little bit; it’s not gonna happen right away. So it’s like, who else you gonna call out?”

    When asked whether Covington would be better served requesting the victor of UFC 273’s Gilbert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev clash, Askren noted that a contest against either man, especially a victorious “Borz,” would pose a lot more risk for the former interim champion.

    “Big attention, easy win, that’s what you want. Neither one of those guys, yet, is as popular as Poirier… It’s also really risky (fighting Chimaev if he beats Burns). Burns is good. So, if he beats Burns, he’s really good, too. I think Covington went the right way with that one,” Askren concluded.

    As Covington’s tear through his group of former ATT teammates continues, Poirier is in his crosshairs. However, while “The Diamond” maintains that “it’s on sight” if he sees the controversial welterweight, he’s consistently asserted that a collision inside the Octagon is never going to happen.

    With that in mind, Covington’s post-fight callout doesn’t seem likely to bear the fruits “Chaos” was hoping for. Therefore, the 34-year-old may need to turn his attention to Burns vs. Chimaev after all.

    Do you agree with Ben Askren? Was Dustin Poirier the smart callout for Colby Covington to make?

  • Gilbert Burns: Covington Needs To Fight A Real Contender Next

    Gilbert Burns believes Colby Covington should go after a “real” contender for his next opponent.

    Covington remains the #1 ranked contender for the welterweight title after defeating Masvidal in their grudge match. But since he has twice failed to dethrone the UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman, it leaves many wondering who will be in his next matchup.

    Masvidal Covington UFC 272
    Masvidal Covington UFC 272

    Colby Covington has continued to call out Dustin Poirier. However, Poirier is likely to fight Nate Diaz next, so there is much uncertainty surrounding that noise.

    Many of the ranked fighters of the welterweight division present strong challenges for Covington. For instance, the #2 ranked Gilbert Burns, who along with Kamaru Usman, has been devastating his welterweight competition.

    Potential Opponents For Covington

    Outside of a trilogy with Usman, Covington has called out Poirier, Nate Diaz, and even Israel Adesanya—no one within the top 5 of his division.

    Gilbert Burns, who is right under Colby in the rankings, had this to say in an interview with Helen Yee Sports:

    “I think he should fight a real contender, 170. Very hard to call up Dustin Poirier. Dustin Poirier, he’s doing a good job at lightweight, but he’s in lightweight. I don’t think he’s going to move to 170, for sure, he’s open to fight Nate Diaz or do a couple fights, but I don’t think that’s he’s gonna change up.

    “And then, I think Colby should fight a real contender. Long time ago, he don’t fight real contenders on 170. I think he should face maybe the winner of me and Khamzat or maybe the winner of Luque and Belal or maybe a real contender like Sean Brady, I don’t know, one of these guys. You gotta face a real contender.”

    Belal Muhammad, Vincente Luque, Khamzat Chimaev, Sean Brady
    Belal Muhammad, Vincente Luque, Khamzat Chimaev, Sean Brady, Photo Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports / Jeff Bottari/Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC, Thomas Lakes, MMA Fighting

    A fight with Covington could potentially put Burns next in line for a title shot if a victory over Chimaev at UFC 273 isn’t enough to earn him that spot. And it will be a phenomenal year for Khamzat Chimaev if he remains undefeated after facing Burns and then gets a fight with the #1-ranked Covington.

    Vincente Luque faces Belal Muhammad next month. Both fighters have proven their tremendous power and head into their match with impressive win streaks.

    The undefeated Sean Brady is steadily approaching the top 5. Could Colby put an end to Brady’s unstoppable win streak?

    Covington has yet to call out anyone currently in the top 5 of the welterweight division. Now that he got Masvidal out of the way, a win against another top-ranked fighter could grant him his third title shot.

    Who do you think Colby Covington should fight next?

  • Covington Shares Evidence Of Masvidal Allegedly Attempting Eye Poke

    UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington has hit back at Jorge Masvidal after the latter accused him of an intentional eye poke at UFC 272.

    Covington defeated Masvidal via a unanimous decision in their UFC 272 grudge match. The two former American Top Team teammates turned bitter rivals had been on each other’s nerves for years ahead of their eventual showdown.

    Masvidal has stated that he wants revenge against Covington and shared the aftermath of an alleged eye poke that he suffered in their matchup. After getting word of Masvidal’s accusation of Covington being a “cheating f***” for the eye poke, Covington shared an image of Masvidal possibly attempting an eye poke of his own.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CbNtvvluGOA/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    “At least you tried…” Covington posted.

    The banter between Covington and Masvidal has appeared to escalate since the fight. The two nearly brawled after the fight came to a close at UFC 272, and Masvidal has threatened to finish his beef with Covington on the streets of Miami.

    Covington has called for a fight with another former ATT teammate, Dustin Poirier, although it’s unclear whether or not Poirier will make the move to 170. Covington is looking to potentially get a third matchup with UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman with another win streak.

    Masvidal has lost three-straight bouts, with his last victory coming against Nate Diaz for the BMF title at UFC 244. Nevertheless, he’s squashed retirement speculation and appears ready to return to the Octagon later this year.

    Do you believe Jorge Masvidal attempted to eye poke Colby Covington in retaliation?

  • Usman To Covington: Don’t Expect To Cut The Line With A Poirier Win

    UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman has informed Colby Covington not to expect a title shot with a win over Dustin Poirier.

    Following his win against Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272, Covington took the chance to call out the former interim UFC lightweight champion in his post-fight interview, with ‘Chaos’ declaring that Poirier was next and that he will see him soon.

    Poirier previously stated that he will never face the #1 ranked UFC welterweight contender inside the Octagon, as he’s against Covington making money off of his name. The 33-year-old even went as far as to say that if he was to fight Covington that they both would be going to jail, implying the fight would only materialize outside of professional practice.

    Usman has now given his reaction to Covington’s callout of Poirier in an interview with Brett Okamoto of ESPN.

    “I respect and I appreciate it in a different sense,” said Usman. “Yeah, he’s building himself. So, yes, of course, I understand that. And, of course, you’re making money. I understand and respect that.

    Kamaru Usman Colby Covington
    Kamaru Usman, Colby Covington, Image Credit: UFC.com

    “But, on the flip side, don’t expect to cut the line when guys like Vicente Luque are in the division holding off everybody else; when Gilbert Burns is in the division beating up everyone else. So don’t expect to just jump the line because you built yourself outside, fighting guys that are not in the top of this weight division.”

    All in all, appears that Poirier being naturally lightweight would affect Covington’s merit for a title shot with a win in the eyes of the UFC welterweight champion.

    “So, yeah, I respect it. get your money, of course. We can only do this for a short time, so go ahead and get your money. But at the same time, don’t expect to cut these guys in the line,” said Usman.

    There are plenty waiting in line for a shot at Usman, with two of those expected to clash at UFC 273 in Gilbert Burns and Khamzat Chimaev. Burns himself declared he is expecting a title shot with a win over the undefeated Swede.

    Meanwhile, other welterweight contenders including Vicente Luque and Belal Muhammad have mounted their own respected runs for a title shot in the division. Leon Edwards is expected to be next in line for a title shot; however, with Usman’s next defense of his belt set to go down this summer when he returns from injury.

    Do you think Covington would be worthy of a third title shot with a win over Dustin Poirier?

  • Covington Explains Why He Deserves Adesanya Title Fight

    UFC welterweight star Colby Covington believes he’s clearly done enough to earn a shot at Israel Adesanya’s middleweight title.

    Since dropping a second championship shot against reigning 170-pound king Kamaru Usman at UFC 268 last November, Covington has mostly had three names on his lips: Adesanya, Jorge Masvidal, and Dustin Poirier.

    At UFC 272 earlier this month, “Chaos” dispatched Masvidal with relative ease, scoring a unanimous decision victory following five rounds of main event action. In his post-fight interview, Covington turned his attention to one of his remaining two targets, unloading his usual insults on former ATT teammate Poirier.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CbImDJqO1bX/

    But with “The Diamond” suggesting he’ll never share the Octagon with Covington, it’s appearing unlikely that the grudge match will come to fruition. Rounding out his list is “The Last Stylebender,” but the recent remarks of UFC President Dana White seem to suggest that’s also off the table.

    During an interview with TMZ Sports, White suggested Covington would have to record wins over a top middleweight contender in order to book a date in the cage with Adesanya.

    “I mean, Colby would have to go up and beat [Jared] Cannonier or [Robert] Whittaker or somebody like that to even be in the discussion with a fight with Adesanya.” (h/t Sportskeeda)

    Covington Disagrees With White’s Stance

    During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Covington, who’s targeting a summer return, discussed his options should Poirier maintain his current attitude towards a matchup with him.

    He re-affirmed that a championship clash with Adesanya makes sense. Noting the calls for Usman and the middleweight kingpin to forego their personal relationship to meet in a superfight, Covington claimed he’d be more deserving than “The Nigerian Nightmare” having ‘beaten Usman’ twice.

    “I think I could definitely go up to ’85 and fight Adesanya (in the summer),” said Covington. “But I don’t know if he’s gonna turn around like that. He doesn’t have a dance partner right now. I mean, some of the guys they’re trying to line him up with is unoriginal. Why could Usman fight him? All the fans want that…I beat Usman twice. Usman sucks, dude. Everybody knew, in Madison Square Garden, I won those last three rounds. It was an easy win for me. Easy decision victory, unanimous.

    “So why can’t I fight Adesanya? That guy can’t stop my wrestling,” claimed Covington. “I’ll pick him up and drop him on his fucking head. He’s a cardio kickboxer. They’ve got enough cardio kickboxers in women’s classes around the US. I can go join one of those. I decided to pick up hard, grueling American wrestling. I don’t think Adesanya can stop my American wrestling and I don’t think he’s that good of a fighter.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ7Mk2svC9Q/

    At middleweight, Adesanya is currently unbeaten in professional MMA and has defended the 185-pound UFC gold four times. His one blemish in the sport came in an effort to dethrone then-light heavyweight titleholder Jan Blachowicz last March. The Pole utilized a heavy wrestling approach to grind out a decision.

    Given his own wrestling credentials, “Chaos” believes he’d have no trouble dispatching Adesanya and securing his place on the middleweight throne.

    But with Jared Cannonier seemingly next in line following his brutal win against Derek Brunson last month, it seems unlikely the UFC will cave to Covington’s higher-weight ambitions anytime soon.

    Do you think Colby Covington has earned a shot at Israel Adesanya’s middleweight throne?

  • Quote: Nobody Needs Covington As Much As Adesanya

    Chael Sonnen believes that Israel Adesanya needs Colby Covington to draw more eyeballs to a title fight involving the champion at middleweight.

    With Adesanya’s last two fights being rematches which had the champion as a clear favourite, the UFC middleweight division is starting to become less appealing with every title fight. Whittaker did challenge with the latest title shot but yet he ultimately still fell short with nobody seemingly having the answer to Adesanya’s dominance.

    Covington has spoken of his interest in going up to face the UFC middleweight champion. The #1 ranked UFC welterweight believes his wrestling could be a determining factor in how a fight may play out against Adesanya. (h/t MMA Fighting)

    “I think he needs to go up to 185,” Sonnen told The Chael Sonnen Show on ESPN+ show. “Look, Colby has called out three guys in the last two weeks: He, of course, called out Kamaru Usman; he called out Israel Adesanya; and he called out Dustin Poirier. Now you’ve got to understand, the one thing those three guys have in common is they all have world championship belts somewhere on the mantle at home. These are hard callouts by ‘Chaos,’ but ‘Chaos,’ who’s obviously a No. 1 contender, does not get a fight for a championship. It’s a tough spot.

    Colby Covington
    Colby Covington

    “So he’s saying, ‘Look, I’m even willing to leave the division. Let me take this golden ticket of No. 1 contender and let me cash it in at 185 pounds.’ And quite frankly, nobody needs Colby as bad as Izzy Adesanya. I don’t know if Israel is aware of that yet, but he’s starting to fight people that aren’t doing their job in the media, that aren’t bringing the attention, that aren’t helping the brand and making the marquee fight as big as it could be. I think if Izzy stood back and saw what Colby has to offer, that’s gonna be a partner that he would like to do business with.”

    Covington moving up to middleweight to face Adesanya may well be a possibility for the future. But for now, it appears that Jared Cannonier is next in line at 185lbs for a title shot. Meaning the former UFC interim welterweight champion may have to settle for a grudge match with Dustin Poirier instead or face another opponent at 170lbs.

    Should ‘The Killa Gorilla’ be tamed and dealt with convincingly by the middleweight champion then a new face at middleweight may emerge next. However, UFC President Dana White has stated that Covington would not receive an immediate title shot at Adesanya should he move up.

    For the most part, the current set of contenders at middleweight seem almost too respectful towards the champion that title fights in the division become less appealing for fans. While we all know the level of confidence Covington has that he will play down any possibility of the champion beating him.

    With what we have previously seen of the American’s trash talk we can for sure expect some heated back-and-forth exchanges should a fight ever emerge between the two.

    Do you think we ever see Covington fight Adesanya for the UFC middleweight belt?

  • Colby Covington Banishes Jorge Masvidal From The City Of Miami

    Colby Covington has ordered Jorge Masvidal to leave the city of Miami immediately.

    When a fight has two years’ worth of trash talk leading in, you can expect there to be some post-fight gloating to match it, especially if the winner’s name is Colby Covington.

    Covington hasn’t exactly earned a reputation for being the most humble of competitors on the UFC roster. Prior to his UFC 272 bout against former roommate and teammate Jorge Masvidal, Covington was already making bold predictions for how the fight would play out.

    Now that the fight has come and gone and Covington is satisfied with the unanimous decision victory, he’s not being coy about reminding the world of the fight’s outcome.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca2s6lCOYmq/

    One of the claims made by Covington prior to the fight was that he was putting four titles on the line. One of those titles was the “Miami title,” with Covington proclaiming himself to be the “King of Miami.”

    Now that he has turned in a successful title defense, if you will, his next act as “king” is to banish Masvidal from the city he has called home for his entire life.

    This means no more luscious Miami beaches, no more home games for the #1-ranked Miami Heat, no more intoxicating nightlife down at South Beach, etc. And should Masvidal not obey Covington’s order, the self-proclaimed king warns of a harsh penalty.

    “I’m the king of Miami now. Jorge needs to leave the city,” Covington ordered at the UFC 272 post-fight press conference.

    “It’s not big enough for the two of us. So he needs to leave or he’s gonna get sparked again.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca5DUZHuArW/

    Although Drizzy Drake coughed up $275,000 in a losing bet on Masvidal to defeat Covington, it’s a lock bet that Masvidal will not obey the self-proclaimed “king.”

    In fact, Masvidal has already said that he would still love nothing more than to finish this rivalry on the streets once and for all by doing what he failed to do at UFC 272: break Covington’s face.

    Do you believe we’ve seen the end of the Colby Covington/Jorge Masvidal rivalry?

  • Askren Slams Masvidal For UFC 272: You Had 25 Mins To Do Something

    Former UFC, Bellator, and ONE welterweight Ben Askren has criticized Jorge Masvidal’s conduct following his loss to Colby Covington at UFC 272.

    At last weekend’s pay-per-view, one of the promotion’s long-awaited grudge matches took center stage. As former teammates, roommates, and friends, and now bitter rivals, the lead-up to the Las Vegas held event was always going to be a fiery affair.

    That certainly turned out to be true, with a host of insults and jibes flying back and forth during fight week, at the press conference, and even during the five-round contest.

    After 25 minutes of action, Covington, who had dominated much of the contest, was awarded a comfortable unanimous decision victory.

    While “Chaos” had put his previous feud versus reigning welterweight king Kamaru Usman to bed following their fight last November with a show of respect, that certainly wasn’t the case at UFC 272.

    After the final horn, security had to swarm the cage as the pair continued their exchanges. That certainly confused Askren, a former opponent of Masvidal, who questioned why “Gamebred” searched for a scrap after having 25 minutes to do what he wanted to Covington.

    “It was kinda what we expected. The thing that I get annoyed about is Jorge wants to fight him after the fight, and it’s like, listen, you just had 25 minutes to do almost anything you want,” Askren pointed out during an appearance on The MMA Hour. “You can’t eye gauge and bite, you know, we’ve got a couple rules, but not a lot. So you could do whatever you wanted for 25 minutes, and now you’re gonna act like you want more? Hey, you had 25 minutes, freakin’ do it to him.”

    UFC 272 Wasn’t The Only Criticism Askren Sent Masvidal’s Way…

    While Masvidal’s defeat and post-fight antics drew the brunt of Askren’s criticism, “Funky” left some in the tank for later.

    This time, the focus was on a new piece of ink Masvidal debuted during fight week. The tattoo is of the Miami native’s infamous flying knee knockout of Askren back in 2019. The KO, which remains the fastest in UFC history, is arguably what truly shot Masvidal into stardom.

    Discussing the tattoo he had a part in laying the foundations for, Askren branded Masvidal’s latest ink as “terrible.”

    “Ha, it’s terrible. Like, oh, God. It just looks like crap,” said Askren. “That’s something a teenager gets and you’re like, ‘Oh shit, I thought that was gonna look a lot better. I thought this was gonna be really badass, but it looks kinda dopey.’ You’d think (because) he’s rich, he could go get the best tattoo artist in the place.”

    Askren also pointed out that Masvidal’s decision to immortalize the moment on his body perhaps signifies how important it was in taking his career to the next level.

    “I think it’s semi-telling how important that singular moment was to his career, and he knows it,” claimed Askren. “And he tattooed it on his body because it was that important to him.”

    Do you agree with Ben Askren’s takes on Jorge Masvidal’s post-fight attitude at UFC 272 and new piece of ink?