Colby Covington calls for Belal Muhammad’s firing after suggesting he earned a title shot by being white
Colby Covington wants to see Belal Muhammad kicked out of the UFC after making what he perceived to be a racist comment.
Following Leon Edwards’ successful defense of the UFC welterweight title on Saturday night, UFC present Dana White suggested that Colby Covington would be the next man in line to challenge ‘Rocky’ for the 170-pound crown. The revelation did not sit well with many fans, who quickly questioned why ‘Chaos’ would be next after going 2-2 in his last four with the two losses already coming in UFC title opportunities.
Leon Edwards added some fuel to the fire during his appearance on The MMA Hour, suggesting there may be some “Dana White privilege” at play, but it was Belal Muhammad’s comment that really struck a chord with the conservatives’ chosen champion. MMA journalist Aaron Bronsteter posted a quote of Edwards questioning why Colby Covington would be next in line. Muhammad then chimed in in a since-deleted tweet, suggesting that ‘Chaos’ is the next man up simply because “He’s white.”
Colby Covington Snapped on Belal Muhammad After ‘Disgusting’ Accusation
After learning of Belal Muhammad’s comment, Colby Covington went off on the streaking welterweight contender, calling for his immediate dismissal from the UFC.
“I’m not going to pick some kid up that is on the bottom of the prelims. You got to earn your way up here and that guy is racist, man,” Covington said to James Lynch. “He was saying the only reason that happened is because I’m white. How is that not racist? That is disgusting. That is despicable, that is f*cking disgusting, man. I would never say that and use someone’s color of their skin by that’s why they got that done. Disgusting, man. He should literally be fined and kicked out of the UFC.
“Oh my gosh, honestly, I can’t even imagine. Everything I worked my entire life for would be sunken, my ship would be sunken,” Covington said. “That would be the end of Colby ‘Chaos’ Covington. But, I would never say something so stupid because it has nothing to do with that ever. I don’t care what color skin you are, man, I look at the integrity inside your heart and the person that you are. I look at other things, how smart you are. It’s just disgusting, man” (Transcription by BJPenn.com).
While suggesting Colby Covington receiving an undeserved title opportunity because he’s white is rather ridiculous considering how many non-white non-American world champions there are in the UFC, one can certainly understand the frustration that both Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad are experiencing. Before ‘Rocky’ had the opportunity to deliver the ‘kick heard ’round the world‘ at UFC 278 last year, he had to win nine straight fights. Muhammad is currently on an eight-fight win streak. Certainly enough to justify a title opportunity, but he is once again being passed up for a fighter who A) hasn’t fought a single man in the welterweight division’s top 10 and B) already received two title opportunities and came up short in both.
There is no denying that Belal Muhammad’s comment was out of line, but the fact remains that few deserve a title opportunity more than him and Colby Covington is not one of those few.
