The former interim champion recently revealed how he saved his job after a bout with Demian Maia, but Covington insists that no character is being portrayed by the fighter.
“I’m not playing a character, I’m just being real,” Covington told MMA Junkie. “I think they don’t know what they’re talking about. I think I’m just turning it up to 11. I’m not afraid to speak my mind and speak what I really think inside. Before I was keeping those thoughts in because I was worried about how people would judge me, how the media would react, how the UFC would judge me for it. Now I don’t give a (expletive). I would care less what they think of me. At the end of the day I’m what’s good for this sport and I’m making money for this company.”
Covington insists that he isn’t playing a character with the outlandish personality, but just speaking his mind.
Usman seems extremely confident heading into UFC 245 and Covington says the champion is simply putting up an act.
“That’s definitely an act,” Covington said. “He’s shaking in his boots right now. He knows when he loses to me on Saturday night he’s literally going to become irrelevant. Let’s talk about the only time he’s been relevant: When he attaches his name to my coattails. The only time people have ever cares about him or talked about him is when he puts out a video or tweet about me. This Saturday I’m going to detach him from my coattails and no one is ever going to care about him anymore.”
UFC 245 takes place on Saturday, December 14 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
