Former UFC interim welterweight champion Colby Covington has never been shy to put himself front and center, and he plans on doing exactly that when he returns to action at UFC 296 in December.
Covington returns to take on defending champion Leon Edwards for the undisputed UFC welterweight title in the main event of the UFC's final pay-per-view event of 2023 on December 16 in Las Vegas.
It's an event that will feature a host of big names, including a number of welterweight contenders. But Covington promised that, despite having to share a stage with them at the pre-fight press conference later this year, he'll ensure that all eyes are on him.
"I'm expecting to do what I always do, steal the show," he told Submission Radio.
"There can only be one, boys, and that's what these kids don't get. They bark up a big game when they know they're not going to be locked in there, but then when they get face to face, oh, they start shaking and panicking.
"So, I am the one. This is destiny. December 16, I'm stealing the show. No one's coming in that arena to listen to these dorks in the back talk about what they ate for lunch or what girl they f****d or this or that. So, everybody's coming for the Colby chaos show.
"It's gonna be the biggest event of the year, and I can't wait, man. Who cares about any of those guys? They're all f*****g jobbers. Now you've got the king – the king of chaos is back – and we're setting up the biggest and the best business that the UFC can make. And that's what's gonna happen every time 'Chaos' comes out there to fight."
Covington's sights are set on Edwards' 170-pound title, but that won't stop the American from taking pot-shots at some of his rivals on the dais when the press conference rolls around.
Rising welterweight contender Ian Machado Garry is set for action on the card against Vicente Luque, and had stated that the biggest thing Covington had done was lose twice to Kamaru Usman. He has also predicted that Edwards would "annihilate" Covington in the UFC 296 main event.
Those comments haven't gone down well with the former interim champ, who vowed to embarrass the Irishman during fight week in Vegas.
"Oh man, he's such a little nerd," he said.
"I'm gonna take his lunch money and make him look like such a little virgin. So, it's gonna be entertaining. The fans are gonna love it.
"All these people will have a rude awakening. Leon, too. That's why little mumble mouth hasn't been saying much, because he knows what's about to happen. He's about to get his f*****g mouth slapped.
"Everybody that's complaining about me, guys, it's all the people that know I'm about to become undisputed champ. They're not crying about me because, 'Oh, he's getting sent to slaughter and this guy's gonna lose the fight.' They're crying because Colby 'Chaos' Covington is getting that undisputed world title and there's nothing they can do to stop it."
