You shouldn’t like Colby Covington. In fact, you’re not supposed to like him — but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t robbed of a title shot in the UFC’s welterweight division.
Colby Covington is a heel and there’s no doubt about it. That means he shouldn’t be liked — in fact, he should be despised to a high degree by the vast majority of UFC fans and fighters. For ‘Chaos,’ that is exactly where there’s money to be made.
Covington has continuously cut promos that belittle some the most cherished mixed martial artists in the sport, posted movie spoilers on social media, polarized many of his would-be fans by voicing his political views in his victory speeches, and brought race into the equation more than once to the ire of many. Colby has also openly taunted both fighters and fans on Instagram and Twitter.
If you need help understanding the concept of a what makes a ‘heel,’ look no further than Eric Bischoff’s TED Talk regarding News Media stealing from the professional wrestling playbook.
Colby Covington does not want you to think, he simply wants you to feel emotion.
Like him or hate him, the man behind “Chaos” is one of the best welterweights in the world and he’s been snubbed of a UFC title shot. Actually, it’s not that he was snubbed of a title shot, because that’s business as usual. It happens in the ‘Hurt Business’ — but rather, the fan and fighter backlash against Colby Covington regarding the title fight situation has been unwarranted.
@ColbyCovMMA got screwed….and I know that made all of you chuckle a little bit.
— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) January 6, 2019
Covington defeated Rafael dos Anjos for the Interim UFC Welterweight Championship at UFC 225 after his sixth straight win in the welterweight division. But that wasn’t enough to secure him the title shot.
Colby Covington tells @arielhelwani that UFC doctors wouldn't clear him to face Tyron Woodley at UFC 228 and did not pay him when he went to Australia as a guest fighter.
Covington also says that he has not been able to contact Dana White since Woodley/Usman was announced.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) January 7, 2019
“If this was the NFL and the Patriots won the AFC Championship, you think just because Roger Gooddell doesn’t like Belechek and Tom Brady that he’s not going to let them go to the Super Bowl? Like, let’s be honest, they’re going to the Super Bowl regardless! It doesn’t matter if you don’t like them or you don’t like me, you know, I earned my right to fight for a title shot,” Covington told Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show recently.
Covington’s shtick hasn’t been any worse than Chael Sonnen’s gimmick was back in ‘The American Gangster’s’ prime. We view Chael as a martial artist that is portraying a character, do we not?
This isn’t an apologetic Colby Covington piece. Rather, it’s to point out the hypocrisy of fans/fighters willing to throw a fighter to the wayside because they despise his gimmick.
Colby Covington is a heel and should be hated by everyone — but he’s also a highly skilled mixed martial artist that makes a living by being intelligent enough to come up with a constant stream of promos that keep the fans engaged. It’s as simple as that.
Everything Colby Covington says or does is promotional material for his next fight — where it is presumed you will pay money to see him get his ass kicked. Possibly in a title fight. One of these days.
