Dana White on Covington: ‘This is the fight business and people say a lot of mean things’

It looks like the UFC is going to Give Colby Covington a pass for his Chael Sonnen impression at UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Machida back on October 28th. After defeating Demian Maia in front of a highly partisan crowd, Covington got on the mic with a message for the fans, as boos rained down around him.

“I should have knocked him out,” Covington said of his win over Maia. “Brazil, you’re a dump. All you filthy animals suck.”

The crowd responded by showering the ATT fighter with trash as he left the Octagon, and UFC officials promised that they would take the situation, “very seriously.” But if that was the sentiment at the time, it doesn’t appear to have been Dana White’s plan.

“I didn’t even know we came out with that,” White told Combate, in response to questions about Vice President David Shaw’s previous statement on Covington’s antics. Beyond that, White seemed more or less ready to let the whole matter drop.

“I mean, listen, at the end of the day, this is the fight business, and people say a lot of mean things,” White said. “I think the Brazilian people are tough enough to handle a guy saying some stuff to them at the end of the day.

“You know, this has happened before. I don’t remember where we were, but Al Iaquinta told all the fans to go f-ck themselves and a lot of other things that weren’t very nice. Obviously we don’t like it, and we frown upon it, and I talk to these guys about stuff like that. But fighters get very emotional. It happens. I don’t think that the Brazilian people should take it personal.”

Now the question remaining is, who does Colby Covington fight next? He’s been calling out Tyron Woodley since his win over Maia, but the top of the welterweight division is quickly restocking itself with fresh contenders looking for a shot at the belt. Darren Till is coming off a big win over Donald Cerrone, and the winner of Mike Perry vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio will have some serious momentum, not to mention Kamaru Usman (if he can get by Emil Weber Meek).

Throw in the notable names like Stephen Thompson, and the upcoming Robbie Lawler vs. Rafael dos Anjos bout, and Covington may be facing at least one more serious test before he gets the title fight he’s been demanding.