MMA veteran Gleison Tibau has faced some of the best grapplers in the sport, but he thinks Colby Covington is the best at 170 pounds.
Tibau and Covington used to train together at American Top Team before Covington left the gym for MMA Masters. His dismissal was mostly due to ongoing feuds with teammates such as Jorge Masvidal and Dustin Poirier.
Covington has managed to alienate himself from most of his former ATT teammates, but Tibau is not one of them. In a recent Instagram comment on a post by MMA Uncensored, Tibau praised Covington as the best grappler in the welterweight division.
Screenshot courtesy of SportsKeeda
Tibau’s praise of Covington comes despite the two-time UFC title challenger’s stance regarding his previous comments about Brazil. Following his win over Demian Maia, Covington called out the Brazilian crowd as “filthy animals” and was blasted by many of his colleagues.
Covington most recently fell to UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman at UFC 268. Despite losing two of his last three to Usman, Covington remains ranked #1 at 170 pounds.
Tibau’s first season in the PFL featured a controversial win over Rory MacDonald. He is planning on contending for the league title for the 2022 season.
While it’s unclear if Covington will ever earn a UFC title, big fights with names such as Masvidal and Poirier remain on the table in 2022 and beyond.
Do you think Colby Covington is the best wrestler in the welterweight division?
UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal has explained why the likes of Chael Sonnen and Colby Covington engage in personal trash talk.
Masvidal, a two-time 170-pound title challenger, will have the chance to silence Covington when he faces his former teammate at UFC 272 in March. In a rare non-title headliner, the pair of friends-turned-bitter foes will settle their score inside the Octagon at the third pay-per-view of 2022.
“Chaos,” meanwhile, first tasted defeat to Usman in 2019 at UFC 245. After being finished in the final round of what was a tight and competitive affair, Covington earned a rematch with a victory over Tyron Woodley the next year.
Masvidal: Covington Inspires Future Generations To Talk Trash
In both of his challenges for gold, Covington’s trash-talking ways were on full display and included attacks on Usman’s heritage and father. For fighters, fans, and pundits, his words and insults were nothing new.
During a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Masvidal likened Covington’s decision to pursue a controversial, trash-talking persona to that of former two-division title challenger Chael Sonnen. “Gamebred” believes that, like Sonnen, Covington has had to make up for his wrestling-heavy fighting style by resorting to insults and trash talk in order to attract attention.
“It’s kind of like the Chael Sonnen thing,” Masvidal said. “Chael had to be so sh*t-talking because he didn’t have an exciting style for a long time; he was just wrestling guys to death. So he had to do that extra talking and get himself over like that. That influenced guys like Colby — that’s all he does.
“[Covington] has to talk about people’s wives. Like, how f*cking low of a society have we gotten, that’s even acceptable? You’re talking about people’s wives for no reason? Talking about Amanda Nunes’ team? In doing that, he inspires the future generations. So some 12-year-old may be looking at him, thinking, ‘Oh, this is the way to go, to insult a whole nation to get yourself over,’ because you weren’t selling pay-per-views, because you can’t fight, so you have to insult a whole country now.”
While he went on to insist he has no issue with jokes and general trash talk, which he certainly engaged in with Usman prior to UFC 261, Masvidal suggested that when it reaches the level of disrespect Covington often shows, it becomes unnecessary and something he “won’t stand for.”
“It just doesn’t make sense to me. We’re already going to fight as men. We’re going to give it all we have to each other. We don’t have to talk about things like children, women, religion, people’s countries,” added Masvidal. “To make jokes, I think it’s cool to get under somebody’s skin. But to go to that level of disrespect, it’s not — and what’s even worse is that it might inspire future generations to do it. And that I won’t stand for. We’ve got to crush it.” (h/t MMA Fighting)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWeDDg_vqa5/
Facing Covington won’t be the first time Masvidal has come against a trash-talking wrestler. In 2019, a year that saw “Gamebred” rise from a mid-tier name to an MMA superstar, Masvidal faced former ONE and Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren.
The now-retired Askren’s attempts to agitate and wind up Masvidal went on right into the Octagon, just seconds before the fight began. But just moments after his final remarks, “Funky” was put to sleep with a memorable flying knee.
Masvidal will hope to “crush” former friend and teammate Covington in a similar fashion on March 5.
Do you agree with Jorge Masvidal? Is the trash talk that the likes of Colby Covington and Chael Sonnen engage in unnecessary?
UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington has given his prediction for the upcoming UFC 270 heavyweight main event between Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane.
Covington, who knows a thing or two about championship headliners, will no doubt be watching intently like the rest of the MMA community when two of the world’s best heavyweights meet inside the Octagon. The collision is fueled by gym drama, a contractual dispute, and a clash of styles.
While “The Predator” has been occupied by matters away from the cage, Gane has been climbing the ranks and putting himself in position to dethrone his former MMA factory teammate. With three main event wins in 2021, “Bon Gamin” extended his unblemished record to 10-0 and had interim gold wrapped around his waist as an unbeaten fighter.
The first pay-per-view main event of 2022 will pit together the classic heavyweight style versus the new breed. The question is, can Ngannou’s immense power get the better of Gane’s technical skill and hit and not be hit mindset? Colby “Chaos” Covington has provided his answer.
Speaking to combat sports journalist Helen Yee, the former interim welterweight titleholder suggested Gane will be able to use his footwork and efficient style to tire out “The Predator,” who will no doubt be looking to wind up for a big KO shot throughout.
“That’s a tough one (to predict). I think Ciryl will get him. I think that his footwork and the way he moves around, kickboxes, and he’s really efficient with his energy. He’s not like, looking to load up and knock you out like Francis is. I think he’ll wear Francis out.”
“We’ve seen in the past that Francis has that quit in him. The first Stipe fight he had a lot of quit in him, and he put his head down and you could just see he gassed out. All that muscle, you need a lot of oxygen to get to that muscle. My official prediction, I think Gane gets the heavyweight title.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CUDHthMsRuP/
Having already joined the likes of Cain Velasquez, Israel Adesanya, and Khabib Nurmagomedov in the elite club of undefeated titleholders, Gane will look to go one step further later this month by becoming the first French-born undisputed champion in UFC history.
Do you agree with Colby Covington’s prediction for Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane?
Chael Sonnen has praised Jorge Masvidal for taking the very risky fight against Colby Covington.
In the main event of UFC 272 on March 5, Masvidal and Covington will finally settle their differences. It’s a highly-anticipated bout as they used to be roommates and close friends; however, they had a massive falling out and have taken shots at one another for years now.
For Sonnen, he says he is surprised “Gamebred” took this fight, as it is a tough matchup for him coming off two losses in a row and with very high stakes.
“In all fairness, I really got to show respect to Masvidal because this is a career-ending fight,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel (via Sportskeeda). “It is that big of a deal, there will be that much attention and that much focus and that much hatred going into this battle. Jorge, who is the second biggest draw in combat [sports] right now who’s coming off of two defeats.
Jorge Masvidal, Colby Covington
“If he goes out there and he gets taken down and he gets mauled for 25 minutes, it is going to take a lot of luster off of the shine that is the second biggest draw [in MMA], the BMF, Jorge Masvidal. It’s a big deal and Jorge signed up anyway. God damn, I respect that,” Sonnen concluded.
Jorge Masvidal was a massive star in 2019 as he scored a KO win over Darren Till, the flying knee KO over Ben Askren, and a TKO win over Nate Diaz to win the BMF belt. Since then, however, he has lost two straight to Kamaru Usman for the belt, including the last being by KO, which many viewed as the knockout of the year in 2021.
If Masvidal loses to Covington, it would be three straight and would likely signal the end of his time as a top contender. It would also hurt his damage as a superstar, which is the chief reason Chael Sonnen is praising Gamebred for taking this scrap.
Are you surprised Jorge Masvidal accepted the fight against Colby Covington?
Leon Edwards had to add his two cents in when Covington vs. Masvidal was announced.
Some big news was announced on Tuesday afternoon as UFC 272 had a new headliner. In a surprising twist, the event will now have a non-title fight featuring Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal as the main event. Fight fans all over the world began to express either their interest or disappointment in this match-up. Leon Edwards was the latter group.
“2 bums coming off losses,” Edwards wrote on Twitter.
Edwards, Masvidal, and Covington have all been circling the top of the welterweight division. There may have been a time in the past year that they were all rumored to be fighting one another.
Edwards has been vocal about wanting a title shot, especially once Masvidal was forced out of their fight with an injury. Now with Masvidal and Covington locked up, that could mean Edwards finally gets the shot at Usman he has been wanting.
Another reason this matchup is abnormal is, as Edwards pointed out, both men are coming off losses. This type of bout is not usually considered for a PPV main event, but the background between the two fighters and their growing animosity makes it a very compelling fight for most fans.
Usman is coming off a win over Covington in November. Following that win, he stated that he would like to take some time off to spend with family. A return date has not been mentioned, but perhaps he could be ready to face Edwards in the summer.
Do you like Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal as the non-title fight main event of UFC 272 in March?
Rivals are set to clash in the main event of UFC 272, as Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington have been paired against one another.
The welterweight bout was first reported by Brett Okamoto of ESPN. While contracts have yet to be signed for the fight, it is “nearly finalized,” per the report. Should it be completed, it would headline a pay-per-view card that is set to happen on March 5th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
The matchup marks the first time that either Covington or Masvidal will compete since losing a title fight to current UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman.
Covington was the more recent of the two to meet Usman. He fought the current champ in November, losing a unanimous decision after five rounds of action. That fight was his second time meeting him, with their first bout being a fifth-round stoppage victory for Usman in late 2019.
Masvidal met Usman in both of his more recent bouts. His first fight, a meeting against him in 2020, saw him come in on short notice and lose a decision. Masvidal was knocked out the next time around, as Usman stopped him in the second round of a 2021 bout.
UFC 272 Sees Big Changes
Dustin Poirier, Max Holloway, Image Credit: AFP
UFC was originally planning two title fights for UFC 272, with the top of their featherweight and bantamweight divisions competing. However, after Max Holloway pulled out of his title bout against Alexander Volkanovski and Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan’s rematch also experiencing roadblocks, both belts will now be on the line in April.
For now at least, UFC 272 is a rare card that includes no title fights. This was seen twice in the 2021 schedule. Both times, lightweights Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor met in the main event of numbered cards.
Who do you see winning in a fight between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington?
The fact that Ben Askren had just signed with the UFC two months prior to this story did not prevent him from continuing to take shots at company president Dana White. In this story published three years ago, Askren addressed Colby Covington about why he was foolish for trusting White.
The following article is presented in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Three Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 8, 2019, 12:45 PM]
Headline: Ben Askren Rips Colby Covington For Trusting Dana White
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
Ben Askren is getting a laugh out of Colby Covington’s current situation.
Covington is in a tough spot at the moment as he’s gone from interim Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight titleholder, to not even being next in line to challenge for Tyron Woodley’s gold. That honor went to Kamaru Usman, who will meet Woodley in the planned co-main event of UFC 235 on March 2.
Ben Askren Takes Another Dig At Colby Covington
Covington recently blasted UFC president Dana White, saying he went back on his word. “Chaos” also said White “ain’t got the balls” to fire him. Askren took to Twitter to rag on Covington:
“[Colby Covington] I realized you were dumb but please, please don’t tell me you were dumb enough to really trust Dana.”
Askren and Covington have been trading barbs ever since “Funky” signed with the UFC. Askren is set to make his promotional debut on the same card as Woodley vs. Usman. He’ll go one-on-one with former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler. The former Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight titleholder will go into the fight with some serious hype. Time will tell if he can live up to it on the brightest stage.
Do you think Colby Covington put too much trust into Dana White’s “promise?”
UFC welterweight Colby Covington has taken aim at fan-favorite siblings Nick and Nate Diaz, branding himself the real “west coast gangster” over the Stockton natives.
Despite entering the UFC way back in 2014, Covington is yet to cross paths with either Diaz brother. However, that hasn’t stopped him from frequently insulting both men during interviews and interactions. That didn’t change when “Chaos” spoke exclusively to MMA News.
Nate currently has just one fight left on his UFC contract. After defeat at the hands of top-five contender Leon Edwards in his last outing, it appeared the Stockton star was on a collision course with surging Brazilian Vicente Luque. “The Silent Assassin” has consistently called Diaz out across the past year, and he was finally met with a response following his first-round submission victory over Michael Chiesa in August.
However, with Diaz citing negotiation issues, that matchup looks to be off the radar for now. But Diaz is certainly not out of options, and Covington made it known he’d even be interested in facing the unranked fan favorite.
“Chaos” told MMA News he’d “annihilate” Nate and send him packing out of the UFC. For that reason, Covington doesn’t believe Nate would accept him as the opponent for his final contracted fight. The 33-year-old suggested neither Nick or Nate would accept a clash against their “daddy.”
“Yeah, it interests me. But I’m not gonna waste my breath or get my hopes up that that fight is gonna happen,” Covington said. “They’re never gonna fight me. Those guys, they know who daddy is. They know who runs the west coast. I was born in Sacramento, grew up in Oregon my whole life. I’m the only west coast gangster out of those three names. They’re Stockton soy boys. I’m raw American steel-twisted sex appeal.
“I don’t think Nate’s gonna fight, I don’t know what they’re gonna do with him. He’s only got one fight on his contract. Of course, he’s not gonna accept me on the last fight of his contract, I’ll annihilate that guy, I’ll leave him for, literally, dead, he’ll have nothing left in the tank. I know he wants to get out of his UFC contract so he can go make some money elsewhere. No chance any of those guys are fighting me.”
Covington Believes Nick Diaz Is “Completely Washed Up”
The topic then diverted to the older Diaz brother. Nick recently arrived back on the MMA scene with a highly-anticipated return to the Octagon at UFC 266. Prior to the September pay-per-view, the 38-year-old hadn’t been in action since a 2015 bout with the great Anderson Silva.
Discussing the result, Covington told MMA News that Diaz’s return went exactly as he’d expected. According to the #1-ranked welterweight, the veteran doesn’t have the discipline or commitment to make a successful comeback to the sport.
“Exactly what I expected, James. I heard the rumors, the guy’s not disciplined, man. Nick Diaz has no discipline. He was a good fighter at one point in his career, at one point in time; he wasn’t a great fighter, he was a good fighter, he was a brawler, he was in there, he would stay in there, but the guy let himself go, James. He’s in Vegas every week, partying, doing drugs, drinking heavy alcohol, just fucking losing control of his life, man.
“I knew what was going to happen. I knew he was gonna get knocked out by Robbie and that’s what happened. Look at his gut, dude. He looks so out of shape, man. That’s a retirement body, that’s a dad bod, and he should definitely just hang it up. He has a pretty good legacy, it’s average, but I don’t wanna see that guy get hurt… He couldn’t even go three rounds. They went to the third round and he literally just took a knee. He was done. He had nothing left. He came out there and threw everything he had at Robbie, all that weak shit he was throwing. There’s nothing behind those punches.”
Ultimately, Covington thinks UFC 266 signaled the end of Nick’s in-Octagon career, a sentiment shared by many in the combat sports community.
“It’s sad to see, man…. He was a talent, but talent can only go so far. You gotta work hard every single day, you gotta stay committed to the grind. You can’t cheat the grind, there’s no cutting corners in this sport… That guy’s completely washed up. His career is absolutely done, and I don’t think we should ever be talking about Nick Diaz ever again.”
But while Nick is potentially at the end of the road in the sport, Nate will throw down in the UFC cage at least one more time. Given his ongoing toughness and competitive abilities, which saw him nearly knock out the consensus #1 contender Edwards in June, it seems unlikely Nate’s active career will come to an end if he chooses to depart MMA’s biggest stage.
While the 36-year-old’s potential last Octagon dance is unlikely to come against Covington, it appears the former interim titleholder won’t be hanging up the phone if Dana White and the UFC come calling.
How do you think a fight between Colby Covington and Nate Diaz would play out?
UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington claims he used to dominate former teammate Dustin Poirier so much in training that he’d “leave the gym crying.”
The rivalry between Covington and Poirier, who used to train together at Florida’s American Top Team gym, has existed for a number of years. It continues to grow with each social media exchange and interview, something that was evident when “Chaos” spoke with MMA News’ James Lynch.
Covington Claims He Was “Smacking” Poirier For Years
Given the animosity that exists between the pair, it seemed like Covington and Poirier were forging a path towards an inevitable grudge match inside the Octagon. The feud’s history can be traced back to their time at ATT. After the welterweight star went into attack mode following his departure, the foundation was laid.
With that in mind, you’d expect Poirier to want to get his hands on the former interim 170-pound titleholder. After “The Diamond” teased a move up to welterweight, it appeared the door was open for the two stars to settle their score inside the cage.
Covington told MMA News that he experienced enough success against Poirier in the gym to not care if his foe hangs up the gloves without facing him. According to the 33-year-old, he used to “smack” the Louisianan around so much that he’d leave the gym in tears.
“I used to smack him around so many times in sparring back in the day. I mean, for years, smacking him. He’d literally leave the gym crying. He’d go to Make Brown, just crying, ‘I can’t beat him, why’s his cardio so good, why does he just keep punching me in the face, I can’t do it.’
“I’ve had him literally leaving the gym more time than I can count on both hands. So I’ve already embarrassed him. He knows who daddy is. He knows who the real champ is. He knows who’s better. I wouldn’t care (if I never get to fight Poirier in the Octagon).”
Colby Covington, Dustin Poirier (Image Credit: @colbycovmma on Instagram)
Poirier, meanwhile, has suggested he may never fight at lightweight again, and recently saw a potential clash with Nate Diaz seemingly fall through. Should he commit to a welterweight switch in the coming months, perhaps we will see him collide with Covington after all.
How do you think a fight between Colby Covington and Dustin Poirier would play out?
UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington believes Charles Oliveira’s victory over Dustin Poirier at UFC 269 had a negative affect on the legacy of Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Oliveira’s incredible journey from the middle of the pack to top of the UFC continued in the main event of the final pay-per-view of 2021. Having won the title vacated by Khabib with a win against Michael Chandler at UFC 262 in May, “Do Bronx” made his first defense inside the T-Mobile Arena.
Heading into the contest, many branded Poirier the “uncrowned champion” and predicted he’d end a short reign for Oliveira on December 11. Despite looking on his way to doing so after a first-round knockdown, “The Diamond” fell short of the lightweight mountaintop yet again after being submitted with a third-frame rear-naked choke.
Covington: Khabib “Never Fought A High, High-Level Wrestler”
For Poirier, who’s built a similarly inspirational rise to the top as Oliveira, the chance to complete his journey with title glory collapsed in a chokehold at the hands of another elite grappler. His first challenge was beaten away by Khabib in the pair’s 2019 unification bout.
According to Covington, the fact Poirier was beaten by Oliveira in a similar fashion to his setback against Khabib has actually damaged “The Eagle.” During an appearance on Submission Radio, “Chaos” suggested the Dagestani’s legacy has been delegitimized by the Brazilian’s win and the fact Khabib didn’t face Oliveira before retiring.
“It definitely kinda delegitimizes his (Khabib) legacy. He never really fought a high, high-level wrestler that could challenge him, that was good, in both areas of striking and wrestling, and submissions and defensive wrestling. So, you know, there’s always been doubts about Khabib’s legacy. He had an interesting route and he took some time off in-between his career. He got good matchups, you know, people that didn’t know how to wrestle. Even, a lot of people thought that he lost to a guy I used to train with all the time, Tibau, Gleison Tibau. He won a split decision over him but a lot of people thought he lost that fight.
Khabib vs. Gleison Tibau, UFC 148
“I definitely think that kinda puts a dampener into Khabib’s legacy. That guy’s (Poirier) going out there and getting submitted just like you did to him; the same exact way. So how would that matchup go with him and the Brazilian?”
While Oliveira’s latest success has certainly brought up questions regarding how a fight with Khabib would play out, it seems fans will never have the answer. Since hanging up his gloves following his victory over Justin Gaethje last October, “The Eagle” has consistently reiterated the commitment he has towards his retirement.
While Khabib continues to remain outside the cage, Oliveira will look to extend his reign beyond 2022 and succeed the number of title defenses accumulated by the Russian. If he’s to do so, he may have to halt the challenge of Khabib’s prodigy, Islam Makhachev, who’s set to feature in a likely title eliminator against Beneil Dariush early next year.
Do you agree with Colby Covington? Did Charles Oliveira’s victory over Dustin Poirier affect Khabib Nurmagomedov’s legacy?
Manager to the stars, Ali Abdelaziz, is tired of hearing people talk about fighting for the BMF title.
The BMF title was a specially crafted belt designed for and awarded to the winner of the fight between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz. Ultimately, it would be Masvidal who was awarded the novelty belt, with none other than Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson putting it around his waist after their UFC 244 main event was stopped by the doctor.
Since then, and despite the fact that Dana White has made it clear that this was a one-off situation, there have been countless fighters calling for their crack at the BMF title. Everyone ranging from Leon Edwards toColby Covington and more has asked for their own opportunity to fight for it.
One of the more recent people to call for the BMF title was Covington, who spoke in an interview about wanting to see it up for grabs if he is to fight Jorge Masvidal, like both men and many others want.
“Put that fuckin’ wack-ass BMF belt back on the fuckin’ line. Everybody knows who the real baddest motherfucker in this sport is. It’s Colby ‘Chaos’ Covington. Bring that fuckin’ belt out and lets fuckin’ do this shit: do The Ultimate Fighter whatever, tape for four weeks, six weeks, eight weeks, and run this fight in Miami. It makes sense,” Covington said.
“Let’s go to American Airlines Arena. We could sell out that arena in seconds. And if we don’t go to American Airlines, we can go right up the street to BB&T Center, which is 30 minutes up the street. I’ll beat his ass in both arenas. We’ll go beat BB&T Center, go up to Broward County; then, go down to Miami-Dade County and beat his ass in American Airlines Arena. Fuckin’ little bitch Jorge.”
Stop Asking For A BMF Belt, Says Abdelaziz
One person who is tired of hearing talks of a BMF title is one of the biggest managers in MMA, Ali Abdelaziz. In fact, he issued something of a response to the people who are asking for it, but seemingly Colby Covington in particular.
Posting to Twitter, Abdelaziz explained that his client, welterweight champ Kamaru Usman, is the lineal BMF champ after knocking out Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261. Therefore, he demands that nobody else asks to fight for this title, as it is no longer relevant.
Please stop talking about this BMF belt @USMAN84kg won that belt and he throw it in the garbage already Win some fights and try to win the undisputed UFC title. Good luck with that
“Please stop talking about this BMF belt @USMAN84kg won that belt and he throw it in the garbage already Win some fights and try to win the undisputed UFC title. Good luck with that,” Abdelaziz wrote.
The fact is the only time that Dana White even showed interest in bringing the BMF title back into circulation was in the event of a rematch between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz. So even though Kamaru Usman might be the lineal titleholder, it is all just talk, as the actual belt does not appear to be going up for grabs anytime soon.
Do you still acknowledge the existence of the BMF title?
“Put that fuckin’ wack-ass BMF belt back on the fuckin’ line. Everybody knows who the real baddest motherfucker in this sport is,” Covington said to Submission Radio. “It’s Colby ‘Chaos’ Covington. Bring that fuckin’ belt out and lets fuckin’ do this shit: do The Ultimate Fighter whatever, tape for four weeks, six weeks, eight weeks, and run this fight in Miami. It makes sense.
Colby Covington
“Let’s go to American Airlines Arena. We could sell out that arena in seconds. And if we don’t go to American Airlines, we can go right up the street to BB&T Center, which is 30 minutes up the street. I’ll beat his ass in both arenas,” Covington continued. “We’ll go beat BB&T Center, go up to Broward County; then, go down to Miami-Dade County and beat his ass in American Airlines Arena. Fuckin’ little bitch Jorge.”
Of course, both Covington and Masvidal live in Miami so having their grudge match in Miami makes a ton of sense. As “Chaos” says, the arena would almost surely sell out, and it would be a massive fight not just in the area but around the world and would likely sell a ton on pay-per-view.
Whether or not a Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal grudge match is next is uncertain. Masvidal just recently came out and said none of the welterweights are signing the contract. However, if this deal gets done, it would be a highly-anticipated fight and the lead-up would be intense to say the very least.
Do you think we see Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal next?
While many do not like the schtick of Colby Covington, Darren Till does not feel the same.
Till is known for having an off-kilter sense of humor, which has gotten him into trouble on more than one occasion. Covington is not too dissimilar to that, with his outlandish behavior dividing MMA fans around the world, leaving some to criticize his comments and others embracing the schtick.
Speaking on Michael Bisping’s Believe You Me podcast, Till explained that he fell into the latter category, enjoying the way Covington acts. Although, it is not just because he finds it funny. He also enjoys the way that the top welterweight contender is able to get under people’s skins and offend them in ways that he aspires to himself.
“I mean, I love Colby, I love his act, I love his fighting style. Striker-wise, I don’t think he’s the best striker, but I think he’s a phenomenal fighter. I’m a fan… I see past all the act and everything and you know what, mate? I f*cking think it’s absolutely hilarious. You know why? Because it’s upsets so many people and I just think, ‘Wow,’” Till said (h/t LowKickMMA).
It goes without saying that a lot of people do not share the same ideology as Darren Till when it comes to the schtick of Colby Covington. To be fair to those concerns, he has said some things that are, at best, a little risqué; and at worst, crossing lines that some feel should not be crossed in a competitive format.
Love him like Till or hate him like Jorge Masvidal and many others, there is simply no denying the skills that Covington possesses. Considering the fact that he is the only person to come anywhere near beating welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in the UFC, on two different occasions no less, makes him one of the best 170lb fighters in the world, regardless of the things he says.
Taking a look now at the welterweight division, Cejudo had some assessments for the athletes at 170 pounds, in particular, Khamzat Chimeav.
Henry Cejudo Heaps High Praise On Khamzat Chimaev
Khamzat Chimaev
Cejudo, like many people, is a big fan of Chimaev and what he has been able to do in his four fights with the UFC. Cejudo believes Chimaev would easily beat almost any man in the UFC welterweight division, and he spoke a bit about this on The Triple C & Schmo Show.
“I am super high on that dude,” Cejudo said. “I believe that he would destroy Colby [Covington]. I believe that he would destroy the majority of the people at 170 pounds. The only one that can beat Chimaev is Kamaru Usman. But I think everybody else, I think he takes to school. No joke.”
Chimaev has been calling for a fight with a ranked opponent. He had been turned down by a few people, including Nate Diaz. However, now it seems there is rising interest coming from a few top ten fighters. Most recently, Belal Muhammad expressed interest in stopping the hype train that is Chimaev. Also, Neil Magny has repeatedly challenged Chimaev.
“I think Chimaev at 185 pounds, especially against a style like Stylebender, I think it’s an easy fight for him,” Cejudo said. “He’s big, he’s nasty, he’s ferocious. When people praise and talk about wrestling like he does, it just makes you dangerous. He’s gonna get on top of you, Khabib style, and he’s gonna hurt you. Chimaev is dangerous and I understand why nobody in the 170-pound weight division wants to fight the damn man.”
Chimaev has four straight wins in the UFC so far. He has stopped each of these four opponents in less than two rounds. It is no wonder why many people, Cejudo included, think Chimaev has what it takes to make a run at the title.
Jorge Masvidal is no longer holding back and is calling out some potential opponents.
Jorge Masvidal is gearing up for a fight. Although he doesn’t have one name in mind, he is now calling for a bunch of fighters to answer his call.
Masvidal has taken to his Instagram to make a few call-outs while filming a video of himself skiing. In the post, he expresses his feeling about a few of the most popular fighters today and asks for them to sign a contract.
“I’m off the injury list and these little b—hes don’t want to sign the contract. The contracts have been handed,” Masvidal said (via Sportskeeda.) “It’s in their f—ing face, they know I’m off the injury list. I’m trying to get some paychecks, but in the meantime, since I can’t rip these b—hes up, I’m going to rip these mountains up.”
Masvidal did have a fight lined up with Leon Edwards for Dec. 11; however, Masvidal was forced out of that fight after suffering from an injury. He claims he is healed up now and could entertain rescheduling with Edwards.
Masvidal is one of the most wanted fighters on the UFC roster at this time. He seems to have his choice of multiple opponents. He named a few top prospects while on top of the mountain.
“You little pu–ies got to blurt my name out, then actually sign the contract. From that little actress that works at Disney Channel [Jake Paul], forgot his name, he just fought. To the little b—h that sells cheap-a-s whiskey [Conor McGregor] to the fragile motherf—-er that’s always getting his face broken [Colby Covington] – all you little b—-hes can get it, man,” Masvidal said. “The one who’s in England that was talking s–t [Leon Edwards], you too, man. Come on, one of you sign the dotted line. Let’s go. Yes, I’m going to embarrass you and knock you the f–k out.”
The most likely options from this bunch seem to be Covington and Edwards. As mentioned, Edwards had agreed to face Masvidal earlier this year and could very well agree to do so again, especially with champion Kamaru Usman asking for time off.
Another possible scenario is Masvidal and Covington being paired together, perhaps even coaching opposite each other on a season of The Ultimate Fighter. This is something that they both have expressed interest in.
Whichever option should come to light, fans will be happy to see Masvidal healed up and ready to get back to work.
Who from this list would you like to see Jorge Masvidal face next?
Colby Covington won’t be paying any attention to Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley 2 this Saturday.
In the main event of a Showtime pay-per-view in Tampa at the Amalie Arena on Saturday, Paul and Woodley will be running it back. The two fought back in August where Paul won by split decision, but Woodley rocked the YouTuber-turned-boxer badly and nearly finished him. Now, ahead of the rematch, the tagline is “Leave No Doubt.”
Although the original fight was Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury, the Woodley rematch is as if not more intriguing. Yet, for Covington, he has no interest in seeing the fight again and has informed the YouTuber that his “son’ Woodley was not granted his permission to attend this event.
Photo via Instagram @showtimeboxing
“The thing about that, you know, is Snake Paul knows that I didn’t sign off on my son Tyron Woodley to go out there and fight, but he went out there and he should have won that first fight, but obviously he was paid off to not finish Jake Paul,” Covington said to Submission Radio. “I’m not signing off on the second fight, Jake Paul, to let my son Tyron Woodley come back. No one cares about it, the fight’s on a week’s notice ’cause Tyson Fury pulled out or, whatever, that boxer over in the UK.”
Colby Covington and Tyron Woodley have a documented history together. After a feud that ran for years, the two finally met in the Octagon last year, where Covington picked up the dominant victory.
Although Jake Paul has a massive following and does sell, Colby Covington certainly has a point that the rematch with Tyron Woodley is not as hyped. Part of that is due to the fact the fight was made on short notice.
Regardless, count Covington as one of many MMA fighters who won’t be tuning into Paul-Woodley 2 on Saturday night in Tampa on Showtime.
Will you be watching Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley 2 on Saturday?
UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington believes former teammate Dustin Poirier lost his title fight against Charles Oliveira due to his “quitter mentality.”
In the UFC 269 main event this past weekend, Poirier fell short of reaching the lightweight mountaintop for the second time in just over two years. Having failed to unify his interim title against Khabib Nurmagomedov back in 2019, “The Diamond” worked his way back to the top step of the lightweight ladder this year with back-to-back victories over former two-division champion Conor McGregor.
But in a painfully similar fashion to his submission loss against “The Eagle” in Abu Dhabi, Poirier was forced to tap out and watch his title hopes collapse yet again. Despite knocking down Oliveira, the Louisianan was unable to take advantage, and appeared to fatigue before falling to a third-round rear-naked choke.
The result was yet another heart-breaking culmination of Poirier’s inspirational journey. But while many have attempted to console him and send words of support his way, one man was certainly not going to follow suit.
Poirier’s former American Top Team teammate Colby Covington recently discussed the 32-year-old’s defeat to “Do Bronx” during an appearance on Submission Radio. After refuting the idea that Poirier’s two victories over McGregor were impressive, “Chaos” slammed what he perceives to be a “quitter mentality” the former interim lightweight titleholder has inside the Octagon.
“Just the quitter mentality of Dustin. He’s always been like that. He doesn’t like to work hard. Living off of beating Conor McGregor. What’s the big deal about beating Conor McGregor anymore these days? I mean, he has a great legacy, he did some great things in the past; the guy made a lot of money, he doesn’t have that same drive anymore. So beating a guy like that is not gonna mean you’re gonna be some world-beater and the best in the world.
“That’s what I saw. I figured he was gonna gas out and he was eventually gonna quit, and that’s what he did. Just like in the Khabib fight, he quits, he puts his head on the mat, and he leaves his neck open so he can get rear-naked choked. (I) wasn’t surprised. I told everybody… ‘Charles Oliveira, he’s gonna look like a D-1 All-American wrestler and take down Dustin, and beat him.’ That’s exactly what I predicted and that’s what happened.”
Like Poirier, Covington has also failed to win gold in two attempts between 2019 and 2021. After being finished by Kamaru Usman at UFC 245, the #1-ranked welterweight had his second shot at the title last month at UFC 268. Despite taking “The Nigerian Nightmare” the distance, Covington didn’t do enough to earn the nod on the scorecards.
While most expect Covington to settle his rivalry with former friend Jorge Masvidal next year, the 33-year-old has also consistently taken aim at Poirier and encouraged the former featherweight to challenge him at welterweight. Having suggested he’d pursue a move up to 170 pounds after winning and defending the lightweight belt, perhaps Poirier’s recent setback will see him commit to the move sooner.
Do you agree with Colby Covington’s take on Dustin Poirier’s UFC 269 loss to Charles Oliveira?
Mike Brown has confirmed that Colby Covington’s leaked information surrounding the injury that forced Jorge Masvidal out of UFC 269 was correct.
In one of the most highly-anticipated grudge matches available in the UFC right now, Masvidal was set to face #3-ranked welterweight contender Leon Edwards at the final pay-per-view of the year this weekend. The story, which began backstage at a UFC London event in 2019, looked set to culminate on a stacked Las Vegas card.
Prior to the announcement, Covington, off the back of a second championship loss to Kamaru Usman, made his desire to face his former friend and teammate known. Masvidal’s withdrawal certainly provided him the means with which to further attack the Miami native and push for a 2022 clash with the 37-year-old.
Late last month, “Chaos” even claimed to have received leaked details about the injury that saw Masvidal vs. Edwards pulled from the December 11 PPV. After Masvidal suggested there’s no reason for him to discuss his injuries online during an interview with Ariel Helwani, Covington effectively took that decision out of his hands, claiming the BMF titleholder damaged his ribs in training.
Brown Explains Masvidal’s UFC 269 Withdrawal
Now, in an interview with ESPN MMA ahead of American Top Team star Dustin Poirier’s main event fight with Charles Oliveira, Mike Brown has confirmed that Covington’s information was accurate. The renowned coach revealed Masvidal suffered a “pretty tough rib injury” that made it impossible to make the UFC 269 date.
“Jorge Masvidal was training like crazy, man. This guy was back to the laboratory as always, working his ass off, and he was in shape. I feel like we were just starting to begin to peak to the fight a little bit but I don’t know how many weeks we were out. Maybe four weeks out and he got a pretty good cartilage tear. A pretty tough rib injury and I know it was significant where you are not going to be training for like four to six weeks when you have a major tear like that. It was going to be impossible to go through with a fight at that point so we had to cut it.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
Whilst fans have missed out on a bad blood fight between Masvidal and Edwards, for the time being, at least, the door has potentially been opened for “Gamebred” to settle his feud with Covington, perhaps even following a season coaching The Ultimate Fighter.
Would you like to see Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington fight in 2022?
UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington isn’t backing down from calling Brazilians “filthy animals” four years after his comments.
Covington most recently fell to UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at UFC 268 in an epic title rematch two years in the making. His journey to the top of the welterweight division has been impressive, but not without controversy outside of the Octagon.
Following his 2017 win over Demian Maia in Brazil, he cut quite the blistering promo and infamously called the country “a dump” and the people “filthy animals”. This was followed by immediate backlash and nearly resulted in all-out chaos as Covington attempted to leave the country.
During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Covington spoke about when his hate of Brazil started and accused Rafael dos Anjos of doping ahead of their bout in 2018.
“Yeah, definitely after the RDA (Rafael dos Anjos) fight,” Covington said. “When I was fighting him in his prime and he was at his absolute best. He was on all Brazilian vitamins. He was juiced up, hungry to defend his country, Brazil.”
“You know those people are filthy animals,” Covington continued. “I called that place a dump because it was a dump. I didn’t enjoy my experience. There, they treated me like shit. They yelled mean things at me said I was gonna die.”
Covington has most recently picked a fight with his former teammate and close friend, Jorge Masvidal. The two top welterweights could be on a collision course as fans have clamored not only for a fight between the two but also for both men to coach the next season of The Ultimate Fighter.
Covington’s rise to one of the UFC’s most polarizing figures seemed to begin with his comments about Brazil and has catapulted him to a pay-per-view star. A matchup with Masvidal could be the next chapter in his controversial journey to the top of the UFC ranks.
What do you think should be next for Colby Covington?
UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman has described arch-rival Colby Covington as the “most complete” opponent he’s ever faced inside the Octagon.
Covington has challenged for Usman’s gold on two occasions. In their first meeting, which took place at UFC 245 in December 2019, “Chaos” took the champ to the limit. Having won the 170-pound title with a win against Tyron Woodley nine months earlier, Usman was defending the belt for the first time. It’s arguable that he hasn’t faced a stiffer test since.
After four rounds of grueling action on the feet, most had the fight level heading into the fifth and final frame. Despite the former interim titleholder’s best efforts, it was Usman who secured a late TKO stoppage.
After seeing off the threat of Gilbert Burns and two challenges from Jorge Masvidal, Usman ran it back with Covington for his fifth title defense earlier this month. In the main event of UFC 268, “The Nigerian Nightmare” once again defeated the #1-ranked contender, this time on the judges’ scorecards.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CV9peNUMBnR/
Usman Can’t Pinpoint A Weakness In Covington’s Game
During a recent appearance on the Full Send Podcast, Usman discussed where Covington ranks among the other contenders and fighters he’s traded leather with. According to the welterweight kingpin, the 33-year-old is the most well-rounded of them all.
“Yeah, I wanna say he was probably the most complete. He was the most complete because he can wrestle, he can strike, he has a good gas tank. Usually everybody else, I could kind of pinpoint something about them that’s like… it might be a weakness that I can exploit and I can push for but, you know, he probably was the most complete.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
Usman’s next step appears to be yet another rematch, this time with Leon Edwards. The Englishman had been set to meet Masvidal at UFC 269 next month. After “Gamebred” withdrew due to injury, “Rocky” announced his intention to wait for a title shot.
The champ has also made his desire to set-up a blockbuster crossover showdown with boxing’s pound-for-pound best Canelo Álvarez known, something Covington laughed off in a recent interview with MMA News. Whichever route he goes down, Usman will certainly be hoping to further cement his place in the GOAT conversation.
What should be next for Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington?
Colby Covington’s words to Kamaru Usman immediately after their UFC 268 rematch have been revealed.
At the close of the second fight between UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, Covington could be seen whispering something to his rival after the fight. Though the cameras were unable to pick it up during the pay-per-view broadcast, a video released on the UFC on BT Sport Twitter page gave the audience an up-close listen of the exchange.
"It's all love."
The UFC cameras reveal what was said between Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington after their rematch at UFC 268.
The video above may be blacked out in certain areas. You can view the video here.
Here is what appeared to be said in the exchange:
Covington: “You know I’m just trying to sell it for you.”
Usman: “What?”
Covington: “You know I’m just trying to sell it for you.”
Usman: “I know. I know.”
Covington: “It’s all love.”
There was more to the exchange, but the audio was unable to pick it up. Whatever was said, it was enough for referee Dan Miragliotta, who was standing point-blank range between them, to say the two athletes could “kiss later” as he was splitting them up.
In an interview with Submission Radio after the fight, Covington claimed he offered Usman a promo code for the online betting website he is sponsored by. And in the UFC 268 post-fight press conference, Usman declined to share the particulars of what was said between them.
In the same post-fight press conference, Covington shut down any suggestions that he respects Usman. On the contrary, he would pick up where he left off before the fight in trashing his greatest rival.
“He’s a cheating coward. I have no respect for that guy,” Covington said when asked about the post-fight exchange between him and Usman. “He’s obviously a cheater. He’s cheated in multiple fights. I mean, he was holding my glove tonight against the cage. In the first round, I shot a takedown and he went bom-bom twice to the back of the head.”
Covington has also repeated steroid accusations made against Usman in later interviews, without a trace of any thaw in his feud with Usman.
For Usman’s part, he can’t help but admire Covington’s commitment to his “character,” which the welterweight champion likened to the dedication displayed for three decades by WWE legend, The Undertaker.
You can watch more exclusive, intimate footage from UFC 268 on the full episode of UFC 268: The Thrill and the Agony available on UFC Fight Pass.
What are your thoughts on this video revealing the exchange between Colby Covington and Kamaru Usman after their UFC 268 bout?
Kamaru Usman has recounted a story from years ago about an airport encounter with Colby Covington that later left him dumbstruck and resentful.
By now, it’s difficult to remember a time when Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington were not rivals. The animosity between the two welterweights has contributed to two of the best title fights the division has ever seen.
In an appearance on the FULL SEND PODCAST recently, Usman discussed the origins of his long-running feud with Covington. According to a tale from the reigning champion, the tension between the two didn’t really take off until after a strange episode in an airport following a UFC event.
“Funny story: Colby, started doing this whole—because of course, he wasn’t getting any love. I mean, he was winning but he’s just a little boring, beady-eyed little mug. No one really cared about this guy. And so I’m winning, and I’m just kinda moving up more than he is. And so he started oing the shtick. He started talking shit online. He started tweeting and stuff. And then I seen it. I’m like, ‘Damn, we just got in the UFC, maybe two fights deep each. And I’m like, ‘Goddamn, why does this guy have a problem with me?’ And so we went to a fight. I forget where that was at. But we went somewhere, so we were flying back.
“So we seen him at the airport, and he’s by himself. He’s got that stupid little neck pillow on, and I seen him across. I’m like, ‘Alright, I’m gonna run up on him. If he talk crazy, I’mma steal on him right here. We about to fight him right here.’ But then, at the same time, I’m thinking, ‘Damn, I don’t wanna be on the no-fly list. Because if you mess around in the airport, you get put on that list. I don’t wanna do that.”
What happened next threw Usman for a swerve. The mean-spirited character displayed by Covington over the Internet seemed to have vanished, leaving Usman feeling like the only bad guy in the conversation.
“So I’m thinking, ‘OK, how do I approach it? Let’s approach him here, give him the look. Let him know, ‘Hey, is is not cool.’ So I go up to him and my teammate is recording it like a jackass. He’s recording it and he’s instigating it. You know how it is. He’s like, ‘You won’t do nothin’. I bet you won’t do nothin’.’ So I walk up to him, and I’m like, ‘Alright, let me not come too aggressive, but at the same time, let him know that I’m serious.’
Kamaru Usman (Photo: Mike Roach/Zuffa)
“So I go and I sit in front of him and I’m like, ‘What’s going on, man?’ And I give him the look, like the tough look. ‘What’s going on, man?’ And he was so nice that I felt like a jackass right after the break. I was like, ‘Ugh! Damn, I was trying to be mean, and he’s trying to be nice.’ He’s like, <polite voice> ‘What’s up, man? How you doing?’ I was like, <awkardly> ‘Uh, I’m cool. I’m cool. What’s up?’
“So I was all ready for action, but he was so nice. I was like, ‘Damn, I’m like, I’m kind of a jackass here….and so now I felt like a jerk and I’m like, <meekly> ‘Aight, um, yeah, aight, see you later.’ So I get up and I’m like, ‘Damn, I felt like a jerk for that.”
The story doesn’t end there, however. What happened next would inspire an epiphany from Usman, which is that there would inevitably come a day when he would punch Colby Covington in the face.
“Then the next week, this motherfucker gets online, he’s like, ‘Next time you see me at the airport, I’mma smack the shit out of you if I see you!’ I’m like, ‘Bro! You were just a nice guy!’ And that’s really at that point I was like, ‘OK, at some point, me and him are gonna be locked in that Octagon and we’re gonna scrap.”
Usman was victorious in both of these eventual scraps. Their bout at UFC 245 in 2019 was the MMA News Fight of the Year. And earlier this month, the premier UFC welterweights ran it back in another nail-biter. Once again, Usman would emerge victorious, keeping his undefeated UFC record intact.
Covington appeared to be friendly in the Octagon immediately after the bout concluded. However, similar to Usman’s account in the story above, Covington would then revert to trashing him from afar after their face-to-face confrontation.
