THROWBACK: When Colby Covington Shocked The MMA World With His Comments On Matt Hughes

Published 09/28/2020, 9:48 AM EDT

UFC Newark at the Prudential Center was the true coming-out party for Colby Covington to the average MMA fan. The division one All-American wrestler decimated the former 170-pound champion, Robbie Lawler, in what was a glorious striking display.

Covington thrashed ‘Ruthless’ Robbie from pillar to post and crafted a UFC record for landing 541 strikes on an opponent. However, the performance itself wasn’t the only talking point of the show, as Covington’s post-fight interview was contentious, to say the least.

Although fans had seen Colby’s skill set unfold in the prior fight, his win over Robbie Lawler brought unprecedented exposure. Chiefly, his warring words at the post-fight presser truly put a spotlight on the heel character that he was always known for.

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Colby Covington: Public enemy number one

‘Chaos’ lived up to his moniker when he went after the former welterweight champion Matt Hughes in his octagon interview. Hughes had suffered a life-altering train accident just over two years prior to the fight and was still ailing from its impact.

Covington was relentless in his pursuit to put down Lawler, who’s friends with Matt.

“Let’s talk about the lesson we learned tonight that Robbie should have learned from his good buddy Matt Hughes. You stay off the tracks when the train is coming through, junior. It doesn’t matter if it’s the Trump train or the Colby train,” exclaimed Covington.

The MMA community was taken aback by Colby’s comments about Hughes’s train accident. The incident sparked a major debate about whether certain lines shouldn’t be crossed in the combat sports circuit. However, Covington truly believes that everything is fair game in the fight world.

“Don’t be so sensitive”

Moreover, he doubled down on his controversial comments at the post-fight presser and even went into more personal allegations surrounding Hughes.

“Not at all,” Covington said. “Did I say something that was offensive? The guy’s done some pretty crappy stuff, he’s got lawsuits against his family, against his brother, I just said the truth, I’m honest. I’m a little bit brutally honest sometimes and people can’t handle it.

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“If people were worried about words but we go in the Octagon to kill each other, don’t be so sensitive, snowflakes.”

The general consensus surrounding the situation was that Colby Covington had begun blurring the lines within the promotion. However, Colby’s skill set is inside the cage is most certainly not up for debate.

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Also Watch- Top Finishes: Colby Covington

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Darryl Pinto is a senior MMA writer at EssentiallySports. He is currently pursuing his graduate degree in Mass Media (with a specialization in Journalism) out of Xavier’s College and has a year's experience in his current role. Darryl specializes in predictions, reporting, and covering UFC events live.

THROWBACK: When Colby Covington Shocked The MMA World With His Comments On Matt Hughes

Colby Covington: Public enemy number one

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“Don’t be so sensitive”