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Dana White’s Free Speech Attitude Will Trump NBA’s Cultural Influence Is What Colby Covington Believes

Published 03/12/2024, 3:13 AM EDT

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Colby Covington has made a bold claim about free speech in the UFC! ‘Chaos’, as he’s also known by the fans, is notorious for his relentless trash talk during the build-up to his fights. During the lead-up to his clash against Leon Edwards at UFC 296 last year, he had made questionable remarks about ‘Rocky’s deceased father, causing a massive uproar among the fans.

As such, in a recent clip shared on his Instagram account, Covington posted a video of his interview with Tucker Carlson and laid out the UFC’s policy on ‘free speech’. His remarks provide an interesting contrast in the approaches taken by the promotion and its executives like CEO Dana White compared to that of the NBA.

Dana White’s approach towards free speech left exposed by ‘Chaos’

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In the conversation shared on Instagram, Tucker Carlson asked Colby Covington his thoughts on the rise of the UFC as a popular mainstream sport and how it will be influenced by other leagues like the NBA. Carlson posed the question, “Somebody clearly decided, hey NBA is really culturally influential, and we need to make sure that our message is delivered by the players. UFC is on its way to eclipsing the NBA, will that happen to you guys at some point?”

This prompted Covington to reply by stating, “No, I don’t think so, because our leaders, Dana White and Hunter Campbell, they’re believers in free speech and they don’t put a muzzle on anybody.”

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The UFC welterweight went on to state that the promotion and the people leading it encourage the athletes to “stand on what you believe in”, and that they do not control every aspect of the fighter’s actions or thoughts.

His statements align with previous comments made by UFC boss Dana White. In his appearance on ‘The Truth’ podcast with Vivek Ramaswamy, White stated, “Whether they’re good, they’re not good, this is America, everybody can have their own opinion.”

And so despite the controversies that may arise due to the volatile nature of combat sports, the UFC remains steadfast in its support for athletes’ freedom of expression and its role in shaping the sport’s cultural landscape.

But while Covington may have the freedom to say what he wants, his remarks have put him in the crosshairs of a rising welterweight contender who has a score to settle with ‘Chaos’!

Covington is being eyed by Ian Garry for retribution  

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Ian Garry is aiming to take down Colby Covington and put an end to his UFC career! The two men have yet to face each other inside the Octagon but there’s already friction between them due to Covington’s questionable remarks about Garry’s wife. Ahead of his UFC 296 press conference, Covington had exclaimed, “The same lesson I’m gonna teach to Ian, you don’t make a h** a housewife.”

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This led to Garry calling ‘Chaos’ out after his win against Geoff Neal at UFC 298, and during the press conference after the event, he laid out his plans for Covington. He stated, “I’ll rid the UFC of Colby Covington once and for all like he needs to be done. I’m sick of his nonsense, he’s a piece of sh*t.” He also stated that as long as Covington signs the contract, Garry is poised to make him pay for his disrespectful comments!

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What do you think about Colby Covington’s claims about free speech in the UFC? And will Ian Garry be able to take revenge against ‘Chaos’ for his trash-talking antics? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Written by:

Dushyant Patni

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Dushyant Patni is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. Dushyant brings 8 years of professional writing experience to his coverage of MMA at ES. This literature graduate excels in the coverage of both MMA-related and off-topic subjects.
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Edited by:

Joyita Das