Morning Report: Colby Covington considering lawsuit against UFC, willing to make it a ‘living hell’ for promotion

MMAfighting.com

Recently, Tyron Woodley advised Colby Covington not to go to war with Dana White and the UFC over his snubbed title shot. Though Woodley and Covington have had an acrimonious relationship, the UFC welterweight champ has also sparred with Dana White over his contract more than just about any active fighter and seemed to be giving sound advice. But Covington does not care.

Speaking recently with MMAJunkie, Covington said he’s willing to take the UFC to court over what has transpired, so he can get what is due to him.

“We may have to go to court, and this may be a lawsuit, because let’s be honest: If [Tom] Brady wins the AFC championship and all of a sudden Roger Goodell says, ‘You’re not going to the Super Bowl because we don’t like you’ – no, that’s not how it works,” said Covington. “This is business and just because you don’t like someone, that’s not a big deal. This is business and they’re gonna have to get over the fact that they don’t like me and they’re gonna have to play ball and do business with me.”

Covington has been out of action since June when he won an interim title by defeating Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 225. He was later stripped of that title when he was not ready to fight Tyron Woodley at UFC 228 just a few months later, and instead Darren Till received the shot at Woodley. Afterwards, it was presumed that Woodley and Covington would settle their business but “Chaos” was once again passed over when negotiations for the fight stalled. Now, Kamaru Usmanchallenges Woodley at UFC 235 and Dana White has said Covington will need to fight again before receiving a title shot, something that doesn’t make any sense to Covington.

“If the UFC wants to be a circus and be a corrupt business and go about their business, then that’s their problem,” Covington said. “I’m standing up for what I believe in. I’m not backing down. I don’t care what Uncle Fester has to say. I’m the No. 1 ranked fighter in the world. Go look it up on the UFC website. I had a belt wrapped around my waist by Uncle Fester. I was the only fighter to go the White House. That’s never happened. What else do you have to do? What’s the criteria to get a title shot these days?”

Whit has made it clear that the criteria is winning fights and accepting whatever the UFC offers, whenever they offer it. Covington has reportedly been trying to negotiate for more money than the UFC was willing to offer and as such, has now twice missed out on a legitimate title shot that he feels he deserves. That being said, Covington is willing to fight again to put himself back in line, but only if he receives the championship pay he should be getting as the interim champion. If not, Covington says he’s ready to go to the mattresses on this one.

“[Other fights] are possibilities but they want me to go backwards and fight for a fifth of the paycheck they promised me,” Covington said. “That ain’t happening. I’m not fighting for a fifth of the paycheck that I was promised and that I’m owed and guaranteed and earned. They’re not gonna get anything less out of me. I’ll sit on the shelf all day. We’ll go to court. I’ll make it a living hell for the UFC. I don’t give a sh*t. They’re already trying to make my life a living hell. The business they’re trying to do right now is ridiculous. It doesn’t make sense.”

Historically, fighters who have sued the UFC have not had tremendous success. Of course, most of the fighters who have opted to take legal action against the organization were also older than the 30-year-old Covington and sitting on the sidelines while in court would have had a seriously detrimental effect on the final years of their fighting career. Moreover, Covington argues that he is currently one of the biggest draws in the UFC and that Dana White is incentivized to work with him for the sake of business. At the end of the day, Covington says, he’ll get what he wants, even if it takes him longer than expected.

“They know how valuable I am,” Covington said. “They know I am the biggest draw in the welterweight division and soon to be the biggest draw in the sport. They can’t stop my progression and my growth. I’m getting better every day. I’m 30 years young. Every time I step in the gym at American Top Team I’m getting better, I grow, I mature every single day. You haven’t seen the best of me yet, and they can’t keep me down. They can delay me, but they cannot deny me.”