Colby Covington defeated Demian Maia last night in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 119 in Sao Paulo and then had the fans in the arena baying for blood as he took to the mic and roasted the entire country of Brazil.
“I should’ve knocked (Maia) out,” Covington said after his unanimous decision victory. “Brazil, you’re a dump! All you filthy animals suck!”
The Brazilian translator wisely opted not to repeat what he’d just said to the fans, but the message seemed to have got through anyway as the crowd roared their disapproval, and on his way out of the arena Covington had to be shielded as fans hurled everything they could get their hands on at him.
After the event, UFC executive David Shaw made it clear the UFC did not approve of Covington’s antics.
“We’ve got to go back and look at it,” Shaw told the Brazilian media. “It’s just not something we’re proud of. Our investment and our support of Brazilian fans, Brazilian athletes and the Brazilian market is steadfast and will continue. And I think in our opinion it’s just something that is uncalled for and inappropriate.”
Nevertheless, backstage Colvington was wholly unapologetic for what he had said in the Octagon.
“I don’t walk back anything I said because I don’t think I said anything that offensive,” Covington told MMAjunkie.com. “Look at the stuff they’re saying to me all week, the stuff in the walkout. They’re saying, ‘Oh, you’re a (expletive). You’re going to die. You’re a (expletive). You’re this.’ Homophobic slurs. All these different super-nasty remarks. Where’s the double standard at?
“They can say these things, but I say, ‘Oh, the place is a dump’ and ‘they’re filthy animals’ just as a game? This is a game to me. I’m just having fun with it. I’m just trying to promote and make it fun for the fans. How am I taking criticism from that? Look at what they’re saying to me. Stop having a double standard.”
