Ultra-MAGA, pro-Trump UFC star Colby Covington blamed his Saturday loss on not having enough time to train because he was too busy campaigning for the president-elect.
Seriously?
Apparently, balancing politics and punches is harder than it looks!
“I’ve been hearing some the chatter, people saying that ‘Chaos’ is dead. They have no idea what’s coming on Saturday. I’m going to put in the best performance of my career and I’m super inspired by Donald Trump taking back the White House,” Covington told TMZ Sports.
“Saturday night, I’m going to make the UFC great again,” Covington continued. “When Trump gets inaugurated, he’s going to make America great again.”
Covington faced off against Joaquin Buckley in a welterweight bout in Tampa, Florida. In round one, Covington got a cut above his eye that he swore came from a head butt—though maybe it was just karma giving him a nudge. With vision as blurry as his political predictions and blood flowing like campaign promises, things weren’t looking good. By the end of round three, the fight stopped so a doctor could check out the cut.
The doc’s verdict?
“He’s gonna lose this eyelid,” which led to an official waving off the fight and handing Buckley the win by TKO—because who needs two eyelids when you’ve got political endorsements, right?
During his walk to the Octagon, Covington donned a gold chain themed around Trump, accompanied by a ‘Make America Great Again’ hat. He kissed the ensemble, perhaps as a gesture for good fortune within the cage.
Colby Covington just walked into his UFC fight kissing a Donald Trump chain 💀pic.twitter.com/CD0jAQJ39n
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) December 15, 2024
Consider the event leading up to UFC Tampa: Covington previously faced Leon Edwards at UFC 296 and lost by unanimous decision. With Trump watching from cageside, Covington sustained a leg injury early in the fight, which significantly hindered his ability to counter Edwards’s relentless striking.
He’s 1-3 in his last four fights.
But, Covington is on a mission to reclaim the impressive MMA form that once led him to victories over top-tier opponents like Jorge Masvidal, Robbie Lawler, and Rafael dos Anjos. While his current record in lineal UFC title fights stands at 0-3, including two challenging bouts against Kamaru Usman, this only fuels his determination.
The UFC fighter known as Chaos has strategically distinguished himself from his peers by adopting a villainous persona, reminiscent of classic WWE antagonists, through his extreme embrace of Trump and controversial views at a divisive time in American politics. This calculated move has undeniably captured public attention, leading to enhanced, more widespread media coverage. Without his provocative approach, this article—and countless others—might never have seen the light of day.
(Main image courtesy of Sherdog)