Tag: UFC 245

How Colby Covington’s infamous ‘filthy animals’ speech in Brazil saved his UFC career

The UFC’s biggest heal was born, in part, because the promotion had lost interest in Colby Covington.

[autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] almost saw his UFC career come to an end, and he knew he had to do something about it.

Going into his co-main event vs. Demian Maia in October 2017 at UFC Fight Night 119, Covington (15-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) was on the final fight of his UFC contract. According to him, the promotion wasn’t too keen on re-signing him.

Speaking on “The Candace Owens Show,” Covington detailed how, despite being 7-1 in the UFC at that point, the promotion didn’t think he was entertaining enough. So Covington felt the pressure of proving them wrong.

After Covington dominated for a unanimous decision victory, he grabbed the mic and took charge of his career with his infamous “filthy animals” rant.

“I think my big break – I’ve never told this story before – but three fights ago before I fought the No. 2 guy in the world, this guy named Demian Maia in Brazil, they had told my manager Dan Lambert that they weren’t going to re-sign me,” Covington said. “They didn’t like my style. They didn’t like that I wasn’t entertaining, and this is before I really started to become an entertainer and understand the entertainment aspect of this business. So before this fight, they told me no matter what happens – I was ranked No. 6 in the world – we’re not re-signing you.

“‘We don’t like your character. We don’t like your fighting style.’ And I’m getting paid $30,000 to go fight the No. 2 guy in the world. Like, after you pay taxes and pay your coaches, you’re really going to get like five or 10 thousand dollars. So I go out there. I beat him up and leave him in a pool of his own blood in Sao Paulo, Brazil, his home city, and I shoot this promo on the Brazilians, and I say, ‘Hey, you guys are all a bunch of filthy animals, and, Brazil, you’re a dump.'”

Just like that, the UFC’s biggest heal was born.

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Covington was showered with boos and had anything and everything thrown at him on his way out of the octagon.

“So I go and shoot this promo, and I wasn’t supposed to have my job, but that promo goes so viral on the internet, the UFC’s like, ‘We have to keep him,'” Covington said. “‘We have to re-sign him because that promo was so big,’ so that’s what saved my career, and that was the turning point of my career and the rest has been history.”

After re-signing with the UFC, Covington would go on and challenge for the UFC interim welterweight title vs. former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos, and was able to put on another stand-out performance for the win.

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Covington never got the opportunity to unify the belts with then 170-pound champ Tyron Woodley and was stripped due to inactivity. He would only enter the cage one year later vs. former UFC welterweight champ Robbie Lawler in August, putting on arguably his best performance and breaking the UFC record for most significant strikes attempted in a fight.

That unanimous decision win would earn Covington a title shot vs. Kamaru Usman in a grudge match that will take place Saturday at UFC 245.

It’s safe to say that Covington’s career has turned around since that night in Brazil.

 

UFC 245: How to watch Usman vs. Covington, full card, start time, streaming info

All the info you need to watch UFC 245, which features three title fights, including Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington.

The UFC is back home in Las Vegas for its final pay-per-view and one of the most anticipated events of 2019, which features three title fights at the top of the bill.

In the main event, welterweight champion [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] and [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] finally will settle their longstanding when they square off for the title. In the co-main event, featherweight champ [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] will defend his belt against [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag]. Also, UFC dual champ [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] is set to put her women’s bantamweight title on the line in a rematch with former featherweight champ [autotag]Germaine de Randamie[/autotag].

There’s that and much more on the stacked card. Take a look at the UFC 245 event info with lineup, start times, and key storylines below.

What: UFC 245

When: Saturday

Where: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas

TV, Live stream: ESPN+ (subscribe here), ESPN 2, pay-per-view

Full fight card, start times

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

Main Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET

  • Champ Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington – for welterweight title
  • Champ Max Holloway vs. Alexander Volkanovski – for featherweight title
  • Champ Amanda Nunes vs. Germaine de Randamie – for women’s bantamweight title
  • Jose Aldo vs. Marlon Moraes
  • Urijah Faber vs. Petr Yan

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN2, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Geoff Neal vs. Mike Perry
  • Irene Aldana vs. Ketlen Vieira
  • Omari Akhmedov vs. Ian Heinisch
  • Matt Brown vs. Ben Saunders

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6:15 p.m. ET)

  • Chase Hooper vs. Daniel Teymur
  • Kai Kara-France vs. Brandon Moreno
  • Viviane Araujo vs. Jessica Eye
  • Oskar Piechota vs. Punahele Soriano

Key storylines

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Max Holloway excited for Jose Aldo’s move down to bantamweight at UFC 245

Max Holloway shares his thoughts on former adversary Jose Aldo’s decision to move down to 135 pounds.

LOS ANGELES – Despite throwing down twice with [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag], [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] appears to have nothing but respect for the former champion.

During a media day event Thursday in Los Angeles, UFC featherweight champ Holloway was asked about former 145-pound titleholder Aldo’s decision to move down to bantamweight for his next bout.

Aldo fights Marlon Moraes at UFC 245 next week. Holloway defends his featherweight title on the same card against Alexander Volkanovski in the co-main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

And while Holloway admitted he was a little surprised at first, he thinks Aldo can make the weight if he’s disciplined.

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“I was like, ‘Thank God I don’t have to face him again,'” Holloway said. “That guy’s a beast. He’s strong. I was kind of blown away at first. I was like, ‘Oh, he’s going to make ’35, and it’s possible. It’s just changing your diet and this and that.’ So I wish nothing but the best for him. But we’ll see what happens.

“I’m excited. He’s fighting, in my eyes – it’s like fighting a clone. Him and Marlon are like the same, and they’re both Brazilians. I’m excited for that fight, so I can’t wait to watch that fight, too.”

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Max Holloway can see himself moving all the way up to middleweight when he’s older

UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway can see himself moving all the way up to 185 pounds when he’s older.

LOS ANGELES – [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] is willing to compete at just about any weight class.

The UFC featherweight champion has a tough time making the 145-pound limit, and certainly sees himself moving up in weight in the future – possibly all the way up to 185 pounds.

“I don’t know about holding belts all at one time, this and that, but nobody really got three yet,” Holloway said at a Thursday media event. “So 170,  I could see myself … I just turned 28, I can see myself maybe going to (1)85, being healthy, and getting strong there. I’ve got five, six more years in this sport. Who knows? I might pull a ‘DC’ (Daniel Cormier) on you guys and fight to 40.

“I’m a Polynesian/Hawaiian/Samoan, and I’m probably the smallest Samoan/Hawaiian you guys see. So I think the weight issue is not a problem. This is about getting in the gym, getting the weights, and actually packing on the muscle.”

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Holloway has racked up quite a resume at featherweight. He hasn’t lost at 145 pounds since a unanimous decision setback to Conor McGregor in 2013 and has run through the division since then.

Holloway’s idea of being the best fighter in the world entails competing at whichever weight class includes the top talent. He may have failed in his first attempt to capture the interim lightweight title against Dustin Poirier at UFC 236, but the goal remains the same.

“I want to be the best mixed martial artist in the world, and being the best mixed martial artist is not a guy who stays in his weight and dominates his weight,” Holloway said. “It is someone who’s willing to go at whatever weight. So whatever’s the best guys, whoever’s the best guy in the world … you guys tell me. I’ve got a couple of belts I want to fight for.”

For now, Holloway (21-4 MMA, 17-4 UFC) will look to continue his dominance in the featherweight division, when takes on Alexander Volkanovski (20-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) at UFC 245 on Dec. 14, looking to notch his fourth title defense.

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Conor McGregor defends Jose Aldo, excited for Brazilian’s bantamweight debut at UFC 245

Coming to Jose Aldo’s defense Friday was the unlikeliest of defenders: former rival and opponent Conor McGregor.

When images of former featherweight champion [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] surfaced Wednesday, many fans took to Twitter to question his decision to drop to bantamweight.

Coming to Aldo’s defense Friday was the unlikeliest of defenders: [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag]. When ESPN reporter Ariel Helwani commented on Aldo’s appearance on Twitter, McGregor voiced support of his former rival’s decision to cut 10 more pounds.

According to McGregor (21-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC), the 33-year-old Brazilian looks “more on top of it” and physically better. Additionally, McGregor sent Aldo well wishes and voiced his excitement to see him compete in the new weight class.

“I disagree here,” McGregor said. “(Aldo) looks more than on top of it in my experienced opinion. Well trimmed in advance, and naturally a lighter man now. This can only be done over a long length of time and with complete dedication. Respect! I wish him well and am excited to see him in this division.”

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Aldo (28-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) returns to action at UFC 245 when he takes on former UFC bantamweight title challenger Marlon Moraes (22-6-1 MMA, 4-2 UFC). UFC 245 takes place Dec. 15 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card streams on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+.

One month after Aldo fights, McGregor is scheduled to fight for the first time since October 2018. He’ll take on Donald Cerrone in a five-round welterweight main event at UFC 246, which takes place Jan. 18 in Las Vegas.

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Max Holloway: Conor McGregor rematch can happen if he wants to be great again

With Conor McGregor back in action, Max Holloway says he wouldn’t mind running back their 2013 fight … if the McGregor of old returns.

LOS ANGELES — It’s a near-universal fact of professional combat sports life: When a fighter loses a fight, they want a chance to avenge their loss, no matter how much time passes and what else they might achieve in their career.

In the case [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag], he took on Conor McGregor when the former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion was just beginning his meteoric rise.

Holloway (21-4 MMA, 17-4 UFC) substituted for Andy Ogle and fought McGregor on the first-ever UFC event on FOX Sports 1 in Boston in Aug. 2013, an undercard bout which was McGregor’s first appearance in the United States.

That night, a young Holloway hung tough, but lost a unanimous decision on scores of 30-27, 30-27, and 30-26.

And that’s the last time “Blessed” ever lost a featherweight fight. More than six years later, the Hawaii native is well-established with the 145-pound belt McGregor once held. He’s won 13 straight featherweight bouts going into his UFC 245 title defense against Alexander Volkanovski (20-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC).

McGregor, for his part, will fight for the first time in 15 months when he takes on Donald Cerrone in a welterweight bout in the main event of UFC 246 on January 18.

Which means the possibility of the duo once again crossing paths, even if it isn’t exactly probable, is once again back on Holloway’s radar. 

Holloway says he’s open to a rematch — so long as McGregor is still committed to being one of the best in the sport. 

“We’ll see what happens,” Holloway told reporters during a media event on Thursday. “If the ‘Mystic Mac’ arrives, if he wants to be what he was a couple years ago when he was he was the best mixed martial artist in the world and he wants to do it again, I’m sure we’re going to run into each other or something like that.” 

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If it turns out McGregor is simply chasing paydays and fights which interest him, rather than pursuing titles, then Holloway is good with that, too. McGregor and Holloway have by and large displayed a mutual respect in the years since they met in the octagon, and Holloway sees no reason why that would change. 

“I respect that man a lot, and what he did for the sport, and he comes up short like anyone else you know?” Holloway said. “Just like anyone else. We’re all human, and we all make mistakes, and sometimes you gotta give someone else a chance. Me and him, I don’t know what it is, we respect each other on that level … I’m excited that he’s back in the sport and can’t wait for him to do his thing in January.”

Maybe a Holloway-McGregor rematch will happen, maybe it won’t. Either way, Holloway is glad to see his former foe back in action.

“We’ll see what happens,” Holloway said. “We’ll see if Conor comes. We’ll see if Mystic Mac is back and the way he’s training. But we get to see that fight. So I wish him a great training camp and you know, I can’t wait to see him go back in there.”

To hear more from Holloway on McGregor, watch the video above, and to hear his entire media day interview, click on the video below.

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MMA Junkie Radio #3007: Alistair Overeem’s title hopes, Jose Aldo’s weight cut, Ortega and Henderson injuries, more

Hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” break down the latest news, including Alistair Overeem at UFC on ESPN 7, Jose Aldo’s weight cut and more.

Thursday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here!

On episode No. 3,007 of the podcast, the guys break down the latest MMA news and notes, including Alistair Overeem’s hope for a IUFC title before he retires, Jose Aldo’s weight cut to 135 pounds, Brian Ortega and Benson Henderson’s big fight withdrawals and much more.

The rundown

Stream or download this and all episodes of MMA Junkie Radio over at AudioBoom, or check it out above. You can also catch it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more. A new episode of the podcast is released every Monday and Thursday.

Bantamweight Jose Aldo isn’t looking so good before UFC 245

Pictures of former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo show him looking potentially drained ahead of his bantamweight debut.

[autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] is looking a little gaunt ahead of UFC 245.

Former UFC featherweight king Aldo will move down to 135 pounds for the first time in his career when he takes on former UFC bantamweight title challenger Marlon Moraes next week.

Less than two weeks out, Aldo is looking pretty drained.

Despite never missing the featherweight mark, Aldo has struggled to make the 145-pound limit and even considered a move up to lightweight, which is why the move down came as a surprise to many, especially this late in his career.

Here’s hoping Aldo healthily makes the bantamweight limit without the cut hindering his performance.

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

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UFC 245 free fight: Watch Max Holloway take out Jose Aldo for the second time

Watch Max Holloway unify the UFC featherweight titles, taking Jose Aldo out for the second time.

[autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] run through the 145-pound division, rising from prospect to contender to champion has been something to behold.

Holloway (21-4 MMA, 17-4 UFC) faced then UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo the first time at UFC 212, where he took on the “King of Rio” in his own backyard. Holding an interim title at the time, Holloway took Aldo out in the third round, unifying the featherweight titles in a “Fight of the Night” effort.

But the legend Aldo was awarded an instant rematch, and Holloway left no doubt when they faced off a second time, defeating Aldo once again via third-round TKO and cementing himself as one of the greatest featherweights of all time. Holloway then went on to hand Brian Ortega his first career loss, battering him over the course of four rounds, until the doctor’s had to intervene and stop the fight.

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Despite subsequently failing in his attempt to move up in weight and capture the interim lightweight title, in a loss to Dustin Poirier, Holloway managed to bounce back with another featherweight title defense, defeating former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar at UFC 240 in July.

Holloway will be part of the UFC 245 championship triple header, when he takes on Alexander Volkanovski (20-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) in the co-main event on Dec. 14. In the meantime, relive his second straight finish over Aldo, in the video above.

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