Quote: MMA Came To Its Lowest Point With UFC 229 Melee & Fans Love It

Earlier this year, the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) reached a low point after the main event of UFC 229 came to an end.

Following their lightweight title clash, the teams of Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov brawled inside and outside the cage. The drama was certainly a big publicity point that will likely be used to promote an eventual rematch. While many chastised the actions, others were entertained by them.

Recently, former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington was a guest on “The MMA Hour.” Covington talked about the brash promotion tactics being used by fighters nowadays, including himself. The welterweight believes things can’t get bad for MMA, as the sport already reached its lowest point at UFC 229 – and fans love it (via MMA Fighting):

“At no point can it get bad for MMA,” Covington said. “We were at our lowest point when that sheep-lover Khabib jumped out of the cage and put innocent people’s lives in danger. Everything sells these days.”

At the end of the day, Covingotn realizes that controversy and drama sells fights. This is why he will continue his brash styles of promotion, and in turn, fans will tune in to either cheer for him, or hope to see him lose:

“I think that people live in safe spaces these days, they don’t want to deal with the controversy and the drama,” Covington said. “But at the end of the day, all this drama and controversy, this is what everybody wants, this is the drug that they’re needing.

“They’re addicted to this. I’m addicted to winning, they’re addicted to drugs and other things, but they’re also addicted to this fight and the controversy that sells this fight. So I don’t think you can go too far promoting these days. When I fight, people are going to watch me fight.

“They’re not gonna turn the channel to ‘Real Housewives of OC’ like they will other fighters. There’s not anything that doesn’t promote and you can’t go too far in this business.”