Can’t the man get some crab legs?
All Colby Covington wanted was something to eat. He ended up getting much more than he came for when he was approached by new UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and his manager, Ali Abdelaziz. Video of a brief scuffle was released, and it appeared that cooler heads prevailed in the end, but Covington says there is much more to the story.
“I was staying over at the dump, the Palms, and I’m waiting in the buffet line,” Covington told “The Ariel Helwani MMA Show” on Monday (transcribed by MMAFighting). “I’m just trying to get some crab legs. Can’t the man get some crab legs? Can the man, the champ, get some crab legs in peace? All of a sudden low-energy Marty comes, that terrorist rat Ali comes and some other Sasquatch and they start pushing and swinging and start putting innocent kids’ lives in danger and a pregnant lady. There’s a pregnant lady, and she’s screaming, ‘I’m pregnant, stop this!’ and Ali is still pushing, trying to make a scene, Usman is still trying to scream at me, ‘I’m going to get you!’ and his little Sasquatch is throwing punches at my friend and trying to punch me. It’s a complete joke. I can’t believe that they allow that in Vegas. Just a bunch of filthy animals.”
As evidenced in the video, Abdelaziz was more than just an onlooker, he was an instigator. Covington confirmed this.
“Ali tried to swing at me, but I’ve got cat-like reflexes, so obviously he’s not going to hit me. He’s slow as a f*cking turtle. . . You’ve got Ali acting like he’s a fighter and I’m like, ‘Chill out, dude, you’re not even a fighter.'”
Covington also told Helwani that Abdelaziz did more than just take a swing at him.
“You know what else he told me?” Covington asked. “He told me he was going to track me down and shoot me and kill me. He said that to me. I swear to God on my life. I have witnesses that heard him say that.”
Covington also said that he is now banned from The Palms despite appearing to have not instigated the fight. One would expect Abdelaziz and Usman would be banned as well. Covington and Usman are expected to have a welterweight title fight sometime in the near future.
One condition
After defeating Robbie Lawler in his UFC debut on Saturday night, Ben Askren is now in the mix for a welterweight title shot. If Askren somehow jumps over presumed top contender Colby Covington for the next shot, he says one condition would need to be met before he takes the opportunity. He said he would need the blessing of teammate and former champion Tyron Woodley first.
“Yeah, I would consult Tyron first,” Askren told Luke Thomas on “The MMA Hour” when asked if he’d take the fight. “But as long as he kind of gave his blessing, yeah. Of course.”
Askren may end up being booked in a rematch with Lawler after a controversial finish. Also on the table is a fight with Darren Till after the two have been going back and forth on Twitter lately. Till first has to deal with Jorge Masvidal on March 16 in London.
As for Covington? Askren didn’t have much nice to say.
“Look, listen, if Colby gets screwed again, I’ve got no issue with that. Colby is a jabronie.”
Tuesday Notebook
-Nicolae Negumereanu steps in for an injured Gokhan Saki at UFC London on March 16.
-Linton Vassell vs. Valentin Moldavsky is set for Bellator 218 on March 22 from Thackerville, Oklahoma.
-Frankie Saenz vs. Marlon Vera has been re-booked for UFC Nashville on March 23.
-Andrey Koreshkov will fight Mike Jasper at Bellator 219 on March 29 from Temecula, California.
-Siyar Bahadurzada vs. Nordine Taleb is set for UFC Ottawa on May 4.
-Thiago Alves vs. Laureano Staropoli is targeted for UFC 237 on May 11 from Brazil according to MMAFighting.
Fight of the Day
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