Paul Felder‘s manager, Brian Butler, clarified that Colby Covington exaggerated a story about Felder being drunk and handcuffed to a toilet during a military base visit, stating that while there were elements of truth, the situation was more humorous and less dramatic than Covington described.
Paul Felder’s manager, Brian Butler, wants to clear the air about his client. Recently, UFC welterweight Colby Covington commented on Felder’s remarks from the podcast Believe You Me, co-hosted by Felder and Michael Bisping. Felder had suggested that Covington’s "persona is fading" and that he talks trash just to "stay relevant."
Covington didn’t take kindly to this. He recounted a story involving both him and Felder at a military base in 2017. “He was talking shit about me,” Covington told Submission Radio. He then launched into a tale of Felder allegedly getting handcuffed to a toilet by military police due to drunken antics.
According to Covington, Felder drank a bottle of Jack Daniels, argued with his manager, Brian Butler, and caused chaos in his hotel room. Covington claimed he had to intervene to prevent Felder from fighting Butler. The story paints a chaotic picture, but Butler has a different perspective.
Butler was surprised by Covington’s comments, especially since Covington had previously expressed respect for Felder. "Colby can play an asshole character," Butler told MMA Fighting, "but he’s respectful in person."
He clarified that while there were elements of truth in Covington’s story, much of it was exaggerated. According to Butler, the group was indeed drinking whiskey after a long day with the troops, but things didn’t escalate as described.
Felder did get irritated during the night but left for his room without incident. Later, water was found leaking from under his door, causing concern among the group. Butler recalls trying to coax Felder into opening the door by mentioning military police—more as a scare tactic than reality.
Inside the room, Butler found no chaos but rather a broken toilet lid. Despite being worried about Felder’s state, nothing escalated beyond some good-natured ribbing among friends.
Interestingly, Covington was the only one who entered the room with Butler, which Butler appreciated as a supportive gesture. The next morning, everyone had a laugh at Felder’s expense, including soldiers and hotel staff.
Butler emphasized that no military police were involved and that the event has been a source of humor ever since. The tale has become part of their shared history with those at the base. In essence, it was an exaggerated story fueled by whiskey and camaraderie.
In conclusion, while Covington’s account added drama to the events, Butler assures that it was more about laughs than actual trouble. Everyone involved looks back on it with humor and fond memories.