Dana White Talks About Colby Covington's Disruptive Presence at UFC 241, Confirms He Will Fight For Title this Year

Colby Covington made a point to be seen in the crowd at UFC 241 with his patented red cap and interim belt draped over his shoulder. The UFC’s self-appointed heel stole part of the focus of the night, appearing just behind the fighter prep point inside the Honda Center, and was the subject of deafening boos from the crowd whenever his face flashed on the screen.

Covington’s appearance turned a few heads in the crowd with the welterweight contender appearing to be involved in altercations with other UFC fighters that were present. At the post-fight presser, UFC President Dana White confirmed after the event that it was difficult having Covington in the crowd considering his divisive persona and as a result was targeted by other fighters with security forced to intervene on a number of occasions. br>
“Everybody in that section kept fighting with Colby,” White said to assembled media including Sherdog.com. “So security kept coming over to me 50 times to get him out of there. And I said, ‘No, everybody needs to start acting like f---ing professionals because I don’t have another seat in this entire building. Every seat in this place is sold out.’

“Right when I got there, too, [Jorge] Masvidal was working his way down the line and [Max] Holloway had moved out of his seat so that [Masvidal] could move into his seat. That f---ing game you play in kindergarten was going on over there when I went over there. So I asked those guys [to] listen to me. ‘We’ve got a big night going on here. We have a big fight. I don’t need a fight breaking out with you knuckleheads. Stop it.'”

White also confirmed that Covington will get his opportunity to regain the welterweight belt by fighting the champion Kamaru Usman later this year.

“Yeah, s--- will happen by the end of the year,” White said.

Covington’s persona of the bad guy is getting under the skin of many, but White said the dislike towards him is starting to gain traction through fans tuning in just to watch him lose.

“Everything this kid did in his last fight trended off the charts,” White said. “He’s pretty unpopular, yet popular.”