UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland lashed out at Colby Covington, calling him a “fake” and criticizing him for disrespecting Leon Edwards‘ late father, amidst a heated exchange with his own upcoming opponent, Dricus Du Plessis, at a UFC press conference.
Sean Strickland, UFC’s middleweight champ, had a fiery comeback for Colby Covington. This was just before the UFC 296 weigh-ins got ceremonial.
In the midst of a verbal clash with Dricus Du Plessis, Strickland switched gears. He took aim at Covington, who’d stirred the crowd the day before. Some cheered, others booed. Things got heated when Covington threw a low blow about Leon Edwards’ late father.
Strickland then polled the crowd. “Any Colby fans here?” he asked, scanning for raised hands. “Let me lay down some hard truths about Colby. The guy’s a total piece of work.”
Du Plessis tried to steer things back to their upcoming bout. But Strickland wasn’t having it. He bulldozed on with his tirade.
“No, listen up,” Strickland insisted. “Colby’s the kind of guy who’d betray his own mother. And it’s personal for me. You see, I stand with the blue-collar, hard-working Trump Republicans. They’re my tribe. And Colby? He’s just faking it, pretending to care.”
Strickland’s rant escalated. “Mocking Leon’s dad? That’s low. It’s despicable. Leon’s mom raised a champion, a real man. A true American would respect that, not mock it.”
“And just so we’re clear,” Strickland continued, “Colby’s nothing but a phony, a coward. If he were here, he’d be dialing 911, because that’s what fakes do.”
The day before, Covington had taken his own jabs at Strickland. He’d highlighted Strickland’s controversial remarks and forecasted an easy win if they ever clashed in the octagon. Strickland, once a welterweight, had shocked everyone by dethroning Israel Adesanya and becoming the middleweight champ.
Strickland didn’t linger on Covington for long. Du Plessis was a handful on the mic, provoking Strickland with personal jabs. UFC security had to step in during their faceoff.
Covington and Strickland are known for their polarizing antics. But even Strickland agreed with other fighters: Covington’s recent comments were out of line.