UFC President Dana White spoke to TMZ via BJPenn.com and dropped a revelation surrounding the backroom negotiations that occurred for UFC 251. The main event for the debut pay-pay-view at Fight Island underwent a surprising setback, a week out from the fight. Challenger Gilbert Burns would test positive for COVID-19 and was swiftly removed from his headlining spot.

The promotion went on to view viable options as a replacement for ‘Durinho’ Burns and would draw BMF Jorge Masvidal. However, following his recent interview, it seems as though White was always clear as to who his target replacement was.

Dana White on fight negotiations

The company President would go on to detail that former title challenger Colby Covington wasn’t part of the replacement conversation.

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“We were always talking to Masvidal. There was never a situation during negotiations, if you will, that we didn’t think Masvidal was going to take the fight.”

The news comes as somewhat of a surprise to MMA fans and media, especially given the recent circumstances. ‘Chaos’ Covington was quick to toss his hat into the ring following the announcement of Burns’ removal. The general consensus was that either Covington or Masvidal were sure-shot options for the ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’.

Not to mention, the former ATT member spoke in an interview with MMA Fighting and explained his involvement in negotiations. He remained steadfast in his view that the UFC was deeply considering rewarding him with a title rematch. It appears as though Jorge Masvidal has topped this exchange with his former friend and teammate in Colby Covington.

Covington stated,

“Yeah, I was definitely in play and they probably used my name as leverage with Jorge to not give him the type of money he was looking for. He’s just jumping on any opportunity.”

Dana White and the UFC brass have managed to once again pull off an event that is sure to bring massive draws. With the inclusion of ‘Gamebred,’ many believe that UFC 251 will head in a lucrative direction. Moreover, the fight itself offers a compelling narrative, given the compressed timeline of booking on short notice.

Kamaru Usman putting his belt on the line against Jorge Masvidal has fans even more excited than ever before. Additionally, if the Miami native is able to pull off the upset, the 170-pound division is sure to be the talk of the town.