Colby Covington isn’t the most popular fighter in the UFC, but is he really that unpopular amongst his fellow fighters?
According to former ONE FC and Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren, yes. Yes, he is.
‘Chaos’ is one of the most notorious trolls on social media, posting major spoilers for the Star Wars and Avengers movies and repeatedly kicking fighters when they’re down after a loss.
The UFC interim welterweight champion is also hated by most of Brazil, calling its countrymen ‘filthy animals’ after his decision win over hometown hero Demian Maia at UFC Fight Night 119.
Askren, who is expected to make his UFC debut against Robbie Lawler at UFC 233, put Covington on blast in a recent Instagram video and gave the 30-year-old a taste of his own medicine.
‘Funky’ interacted with a random passerby and joked that Covington’s own mom doesn’t even like him (transcript via Drake Riggs of BJPenn.com).
“I want to fight Colby,” Askren said in the video. “Nobody likes Colby. Literally nobody. Listen, not just like in the fake world in Twitter, social media, because social media and Twitter…that’s kind of like…kind of a fake universe. It’s not really reality, right? But in the real world, nobody likes Colby.
He doesn’t have friends. I don’t even know if his mom likes him. Nobody likes this guy. Me included, I want to beat him up. Simple as that.
*turns around* That guy doesn’t like Colby. Watch, hey do you like Colby?”
Guy in background: “Covington?”
Askren: “Yeah.”
Guy in background: “Nah, that guy’s a dick.”
Askren: “See! *laughing* Told you guys, nobody likes him, nobody likes him.”
Covington is expected to challenge Tyron Woodley for the official welterweight title sometime next year. No date or venue has been announced.
Askren, who recently ‘traded’ places with former flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson, will take on Lawler at UFC 233. The pay-per-view takes place on January 26 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.