Colby Covington planned to have former President Donald Trump walk him out at UFC 296, but due to logistical issues with Trump’s Secret Service detail, he will instead be cageside to support Covington.
Colby Covington had something special in mind for UFC 296. He was planning a walkout that would’ve been remembered for ages.
The fighter known as “Chaos” is getting his third shot at the undisputed welterweight champion title this Saturday. He’s up against defending champ Leon Edwards at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Former President Donald Trump is expected to be there, Covington says. The original plan was for Trump to accompany him to the octagon.
But during the UFC 296 media day, Covington explained why that won’t be happening. “Yeah, there was a reason,” he said. Trump himself had called him about it. Covington had asked Trump to walk him out during a meeting at Mar-a-Lago, where he even got his suit signed by the former president.
Trump was on board with the idea. But when they reached out to the UFC and Dana White, it was deemed too complicated. “Logistically, Colby, it would just be too tough,” Covington recalled them saying. Trump’s entourage of nearly a hundred Secret Service agents would cause too much chaos. It would be difficult to get both Covington and Trump to the cage at the same time.
So, Trump won’t be walking out with Covington. But he’ll be right there, cageside. Covington plans to give him a hug before entering the octagon. He’s confident that Trump will be the one to put the belt around his waist on Saturday night.
Covington has had two previous attempts at the welterweight gold. Both times, he pushed his longtime rival Kamaru Usman to the limit. Their first face-off at UFC 245 ended with an Usman knockout victory after he broke Covington’s jaw in the final round. Their rematch at UFC 268 was even more intense, but Usman still came out on top, this time by decision.
With Trump watching, Covington is certain he won’t lose this time. He’s looking forward to celebrating with the 45th president. “There is truth to that,” Covington said. He’s sure that Trump will be there on Saturday night to wrap the belt around him. He even asked Dana White to let Trump do the honors.
Covington is ready for anyone on Saturday night. “They can put The Hulk in there,” he said. He’s confident that no one can beat him in front of Trump. He’s ready to “make America great again,” and to restore the glory of the UFC welterweight division, which he believes Leon has turned into a joke.
On media day, Covington showed up in a custom jacket. It was adorned with the colors of the American flag and had a stylized image of Trump’s recent mugshot on the back. He says Trump was thrilled with the unique tribute.
“He loved it,” Covington said. Trump found it creative and amazing. He even gave Covington some advice for the fight. “Don’t feel the pressure,” he told him. Trump acknowledged that his presence can create a lot of pressure.
Trump, according to Covington, is the most famous person on Earth. Nobody is more famous than him. Trump’s advice to Covington was to relax, be calm, and do what he does best: win championships, fight, and have fun. After the fight, they plan to hang out and enjoy Mar-a-Lago.