Colby Covington Prepares for Upcoming Fight

Colby Covington has had a bit of a rocky time in the Octagon recently. His latest competition, set for Saturday night on Real American Freestyle, marks his fourth appearance in as many years. After achieving a victory against Jorge Masvidal on March 5, 2022, he faced setbacks with two losses in late 2023.

His most recent bout against Joaquin Buckley came with barely a week’s notice, after Ian Machado-Galley had to withdraw. Covington, perhaps a bit frustrated, attributed his loss to distractions caused by Donald Trump’s campaign, a sentiment he reiterated during an interview with Brian Kilmeade earlier this week.

“Everyone knows I was on the campaign trail with Donald Trump. I was trying to save America. I was in New York, then elsewhere, and then the UFC called with a week’s notice,” Covington expressed. “It didn’t really show what I’m capable of as a fighter.”

Looking ahead, Covington is optimistic about his upcoming fight. “I’m really excited that Real American Freestyle has given me a solid training camp. I’ve dedicated 12 weeks to improving my skills in freestyle wrestling, and I intend to deliver the best performance of my career this Saturday night,” he stated.

After visiting the White House soon after Trump’s election in 2018, Covington is now aiming for a spot in a June 14 UFC event. “I hope to use these last few matches at Real American Freestyle as a training opportunity, and I want to compete on the White House card. Ideally, I would fight on the South Lawn for Donald Trump in June,” he mentioned.

In this upcoming match, Covington will face Luke Rockhold, who was once the UFC middleweight champion. This will be Rockhold’s return to MMA after a considerable hiatus since August 2022.

Covington, who won the UFC welterweight title in 2018, has faced challenges since losing it a year and a half later, having failed to reclaim it in two subsequent championship fights.