Colby Covington has criticised the UFC’s handling of fighters after being left off an upcoming White House card, saying athletes are given little control over their careers and risk being sidelined if they refuse bouts.
The former interim welterweight champion had campaigned for a place on the recently announced event but was not included, extending a period of inactivity that has now reached more than a year and prompting renewed frustration with the promotion.
“You have no say,” Covington said, according to comments made during a stream with N3on, as noted by MMA Fighting. “Hunter Campbell, who is like the UFC lawyer, he kind of just tells you what direction they’re going to go, and it’s either you take it or leave it.”
He outlined what he described as a system where fighters can be frozen out if they decline opportunities, regardless of financial considerations. “They’ll say, ‘Hey, you turned down this fight, now you’re not going to fight for the year. You’re not going to make money,’” Covington said, according to the stream. “Even if it’s not a good move, and you’re not getting paid what you think you deserve, it doesn’t matter.”
Covington also suggested his own inactivity may be linked to such circumstances and indicated his time in the organisation could be limited as he weighs the physical toll of continuing to compete. “So, for UFC, I think, probably in the next year or so, I’m going to be done with it, because you don’t want to take too many shots to the head when you’re later in age,” he said.
Looking ahead, Covington pointed to a potential transition away from mixed martial arts, while still expressing interest in high-profile fights if opportunities arise. “But wrestling, I know I can do for another six, seven, eight years, because it’s low-impact,” he said.
Covington has recently competed in Real American Freestyle, where he won his debut earlier this year and is scheduled to face Dillon Danis next, though he added he remains motivated by legacy-driven bouts should he return to the UFC. “I want big names,” Covington said. “I want something that gets me excited to get out of bed… I don’t want to just fight for money. I want to fight for legacy.”
