Colby Covington slams Dana White over title shot snub, calls for release from UFC

Bloodyelbow.com

In September, UFC president Dana White declared Colby Covington to be the next challenger to Tyron Woodley’s welterweight title. But just this week, it was announced that Kamaru Usman will be facing the champion at UFC 235, instead.

White already stated the possibility of Usman leapfrogging Covington as the next title contender when the “Nigerian Nightmare” defeated Rafael dos Anjos at the TUF 28 Finale last month. He also criticized Covington for not agreeing to fight Woodley at UFC 228 in September because of nasal surgery.

This had angered Covington, who went on to lash out at White and the UFC in his appearance at The MMA Hour on Monday.

“I was in no shape to fight in September in Dallas,” Covington said (via MMA Fighting). “It wasn’t gonna happen, no chance. So if you want to punish me for not fighting in Dallas and [not] turning around on six weeks’ notice when I had surgery and was on every antibiotic and [drug] cocktail underneath the sun, then that’s cool. That’s your business decision.

“If you want to keep f—ing up your brand and moving shows from one city to another because a guy failed his third steroid test and he’s hitting pregnant ladies [in a] hit-and-run, so be it. I’m the ultimate professional. Show up on time, make weight, do everything they ask of me.”

Covington further argued that the only time he was unavailable to take a fight was in September, and that he was ready to step in as early as November. But given the current circumstances, “Chaos” is now calling to be released from the company.

“Let’s be honest: Dana, you don’t got the balls to release me,” he said. “If you’re saying all of this stuff to the media, then release me. But you ain’t got the balls. You know I’m too valuable.”

“They’re not going to do it. They realize my value now. They realize how valuable I am. They know that I sell. They know that every single fighter in the welterweight division wants to fight me. They know that I’m the draw right now at welterweight. I made this division relevant.

Ultimately, Covington feels his title shot snub is also a major letdown for fans.

“The only reason people care about Woodley and care about Usman is because they say my name,” Covington said. “I’m the relevant one in the division. No one cares about anybody else. They just want to see me fight anybody, it doesn’t matter who it is.”

“So they’re screwing the fans over, they’re screwing the people, and the people who are make their business run. So it’s a big f—k you to the fans.”

Covington last fought at UFC 225 in June, where he picked up a dominant win over Rafael dos Anjos via decision, along with the UFC interim 170-pound title.