Colby Covington
Covington has embraced his role as one of MMA’s preeminent villains. The American Top Team rep turned up the bravado in the week leading up to his UFC 119 co-main event with Demian Maia on Oct. 28 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, vowing to retire the 2007 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships gold medalist inside of a round. While he did not secure the finish he was seeking, Covington recorded a unanimous decision over the 39-year-old Maia, one of MMA’s true gentlemen. Afterward, he incurred the wrath of the more than 10,000 Brazilians in attendance. “It’s a disappointment to me. I came here to retire Demian Maia and finish him tonight, but after that, I don’t think he is coming back, so I am happy with that,” he said. “The crowd reaction was what I was looking for; they hate me, and I don’t respect them. They don’t need to translate what I said because I was talking to America, where my fans support me. Brazil, you’re a dump. All you filthy animals suck.” Covington continued to stir up trouble in the weeks following his victory, as he used a homophobic slur and once again insulted the Brazilian people during an ugly confrontation with Fabricio Werdum on Nov. 14. The altercation occurred outside the fighter hotel in Sydney, where the Ultimate Fighting Championship was stationed for UFC Fight Night 121. Werdum met Marcin Tybura in the main event. The incident, which Covington apparently filmed, captured the UFC welterweight directing an expletive-laden tirade at Werdum. “Look at this [expletive] clown! You’re a [expletive] clown, Fabricio Werdum!” Covington said. “You’re a filthy … yeah, what’s up? You just punched me in the face! You wanna come punch me again, bitch! What? What? Yeah, you think you’re so tough! Look at you, [expletive] f----t! That’s right! You’re a little bitch! What? I’m gonna see you soon! I’m gonna see you soon, mother [expletive]! You’re old, mother [expletive]! You ain’t s---!” Covington then turned and pointed the camera at himself to continue the rant. “[Expletive] Brazil,” he said. “[Expletive] Fabricio Werdum, little bitch ass. [Expletive] Brazil, a bunch of filthy animals; and they wonder why they get talked to like that, because they’re a bunch of animals.” Another video, captured by UFC fighter Dan Hooker, shows Werdum attempting to throw a boomerang at Covington. It was later reported that Covington intended to press charges against Werdum -- a decision for which he was soundly criticized by the MMA community.
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