Dana White Says Run-In With Colby Covington Wasn’t As Bad As It Looked

In an interview with MMA Junkie, UFC President Dana White spoke about a run-in he had with Colby Covington at the blackjack tables at Palms Casino Resort on Thursday night, which he said wasn’t as bad as it looked. Covington has been upset at not getting a welterweight title fight against Tyron Woodley and even threatened to go to WWE.

UFC originally offered the fight to Covington for UFC 228 in September, and since then White has said that Covington will have to earn another title fight. Covington claims he turned down the fight because he needed nasal surgery, which he said the UFC’s doctors agreed to. He also requested a release from his contract and threatened legal action.

Covington later said in an interview with SiriusXM Radio’s “The Luke Thomas Show”: “All he could say is, ‘You’ve got to accept the fights.’ Dude, I’ve accepted every single fight you’ve given me. Tell the people the real reason this is going on. This is corruption, and it needs to stop. He was pissed. He was real pissed, but I don’t give a (expletive). I’m not here to make him happy, and I wanted to let him know, this isn’t fair. There’s justice. You robbed out of a title fight this weekend (against Woodley at UFC 235). I’m supposed to be fighting for a title. All the fans want to see me fight for the title – they don’t want to see (Kamaru Usman). They’re giving them (expletive), and say, ‘Oh, it’s filet mignon.’ I’m the filet mignon. I’m the people’s champ. I’m the one everybody came to see.“