Covington: “I Didn’t Get The Title Shot Because Of Politics Behind It”
Yesterday ESPN’s Ariel Helwani reported that welterweight champion Tyron Woodley would defend his title against Kamaru Usman at the upcoming UFC 235 pay-per-view (PPV) event from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on March 2, 2019, a fight that supposed to go to Colby Covington.
Not surprisingly an outspoken ‘Chaos’ seemed more than unhappy with the decision. Former interim champion recently appeared on Ariel Helwani’s ‘MMA show’ and said UFC head honcho lied to him on many occasions and felt he was a victim of in-house politics.
Everyone knows that Woodley’s relationship with the UFC and Dana White has been rocky at best now the road for Covington seems, even more, bumpier in the wake of not getting a title shot. (h/t MMAMania)
“In the end, I didn’t get the title shot because of politics behind it, You wanted to pull the curtain back today, so we are pulling back the curtain. Dana White has lied to me, UFC has lied to me.”
“They made promises to me that I was going to fight Tyron Woodley in November in Madison Square Garden,” he continued. “They made promises to me that I was going to fight him in January in California. Then all of a sudden I’m getting passed up for a guy behind me that’s being my sloppy seconds. It’s not even a guy fans want to see. If anything, Dana and UFC are shitting on the fans.”
Covington also claims UFC still owes him money when he flies all way to Australia to promote an event.
“I’ve done everything they asked me to do. I went over to Australia and sold their show, and they never even paid me to go over there after they promised me they were going to pay me,” he said. “They have lied to me before and I am sure this won’t be the last time they lie to me. I don’t know why they are lying to me. They sent me on a flight to Australia, 24-hour flight and just sent me home the next day with no pay. All of a sudden they want to blackball me like I’m the bad guy.”
‘Chaos’ said he gave UFC so many favors and fight whenever they asked him to do. The only time he didn’t accept UFC’s offer was last September at UFC 228 because he underwent a nasal surgery, as Covington claimed doctors didn’t clear him. Now the recent booking of title fight pissed him off the most.
“Not at all, it’s only made me more passionate,” he said. “These trying times, downs in the roads, just make the ups much sweeter. I’m not sitting always partying with chicks, I’m in the gym at ATT getting better and improving. This is driving me and my love for the sport to go to new heights. They are going to wish they gave me the title shot. I’m going to be the biggest draw in fighting, not just in UFC, but If I’m somewhere else. I don’t need to be in the UFC. I don’t need UFC, UFC needs me.”
“Unless they call me with a title shot, I got nothing to say,” he said. “I don’t need them. If they want to release me, release me, it’s not a big deal to me.”
“They were trying to cut me after the Demian Maia fight, that’s how stupid UFC is. They wanted to cut me after that fight. They told me, ‘No matter what happens in the fight, we’re cutting you.’ What happened? We are here today, I got an interim title and beat ‘RDA.’ They said I wasn’t a draw, not entertaining and they had no use for me, that was their quote, unquote,” he added.
Covington said things could be better if UFC does there job better. He also claimed that promotion wanted to cut ties with him after his win over former title contender Demian Maia. It seems like things are getting sour between ‘Chaos’ and Dana White, as Covington said he isn’t here to make friends.
“Fuck you, UFC.”
Covington used his outlandish statements and skills to score the interim title after dumping Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 225 via unanimous decision last year.
