Colby Covington Now Beefing With A Retired Fighter Online
No. 3-ranked UFC welterweight Colby Covington has made headlines for all the wrong reasons in recent months, from calling the people of Sao Paulo, Brazil, “filthy animals” following his win over Demian Maia to pressing charges on Fabricio Werdum for allegedly assaulting him with a boomerang in Sydney, Australia.
The brash American Top Team fighter has done all of it seemingly in search of a welterweight title shot against current champion Tyron Woodley, who he has repeatedly bashed online. But with Woodley undergoing shoulder surgery in the near future, that is anything but a certainty. Woodley discussed the 170-pound title picture with retired former UFC title contender Kenny Florian on last night’s episode of “UFC Tonight,” where both fighters thought he should face fighters like Darren Till and Stephen Thompson before getting a title shot:
How does @ColbyCovMMA (and others) get a path to a title shot? @TWooodley has the answers! https://t.co/k4y5E166zB
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) December 14, 2017
The spot got Covington all fired up, and he proceeded to bash Florian’s UFC record and his supposedly questionable title shot, adding in more of his off-the-wall trash talk that just makes it seem like he’s trying too hard with a Ben Still reference:
We all know #TwoFaceTyrone @TWooodley, we expect lies from him. But @kennyflorian you were 5-2 and got a title shot because when people squinted it looked like Sean Sherk was fighting Ben Stiller. You know better #SimpleJack https://t.co/hsH5iAtzNe
— Colby Covington (@ColbyCovMMA) December 14, 2017
Florian responded, however, noting that after Covington had used homophobic slurs in public, he was now picking on people with disabilities:
Ah yes, Colby Covington who uses gay slurs, now trying his best to insult referencing people with disabilities. A true class act ladies and gentlemen. 👏 Maybe after your lawsuit with Werdum you can find the time for a title shot. Watch out for that boomerang effect. https://t.co/Ofu9KUCT6T
— Kenny Florian (@kennyflorian) December 14, 2017
Of course, Covington wasn’t done talking, calling Florian out for his plagiarism of boxing analyst Lee Wylie and continuing to bash his UFC resume:
Oh hi Kenny! I thought you got fired by fox for plagiarizing? Mustve been #fakenews huh? Tell you what, after I beat Tyrone, I give you permission to come out of retirement and lose another title fight. You don't even have to beat Alex Karalexis, Kit Cope and Sam Stout this time. https://t.co/BfXwtdvlQd
— Colby Covington (@ColbyCovMMA) December 14, 2017
Covington’s brand of talk is now apparently extending to every reach of the MMA world including retirees. It’s a fair question to ask if it’s actually working, however, as not many are calling for him to face Woodley or even close to that.
True, trash talk has taken a spot at the forefront of UFC fight booking in the Conor McGregor era, but let’s remember – McGregor’s trash talk was actually entertaining. Convington’s is not, and people seem to want him to go away rather than fight the top contenders, even to see him lose. What is your take on MMA’s newest ‘most outspoken’ contender?
