UFC star Colby Covington says he lost to Joaquin Buckley because he was too busy campaigning for Donald Trump to become the President of the United States once again.
Covington had a five-round fight against Buckley in Tampa on Saturday stopped in the third round by a doctor due to a cut over his right eyebrow.
The doctor claimed if the fight continued that Covington was in danger of losing his eyelid. Ever since a first-round Buckley uppercut landed flush, Covington consistently poured blood.
Even with UFC owner Dana White, who is also a fervent Trump supporter, proclaiming he did not agree with the decision to stop the fight, Covington did not have fighting solely on his mind after stepping out of the Octagon.
‘We’re going to be back stronger than ever, this is just the beginning for me,’ Covington said. ‘I wasn’t at my best tonight, came off the couch, but it was for the company.’
‘I was just getting warmed up in that fight. I think it was tied up 1-1 and I was starting to wear on him. I could see him breathing out of his mouth. I was starting to catch him with more shots.’
Colby Covington claims he lost at Saturday’s UFC event to Joaquin Buckley because of Trump
Covington campaigned for Trump and gave up a full training camp for the fight as a result
‘We’re about to get the greatest president back in office. It’s going to be the greatest four years in history. I’m so excited, this means so much to me. We’re going to have world peace, we’re going to have closed borders, we’re going to have inflation down. This money that I made tonight is going to go farther now.’
Covington is far from the only athlete to support Trump, with Danica Patrick also on the campaign trail to help get the President-elect title back within the Republican Party.
After dropping to 17-5 all time in MMA, Covington had more blame to go around than just for his own actions.
‘I feel like it was going to be my fight in the championship rounds, so the doctor is the one that beat me tonight,’ Covington said. ‘I didn’t feel like I lost to another opponent.’
‘This wasn’t a difficult training camp. I was campaigning with Trump, getting him ready. I wasn’t even in the training room, I came off the couch on two and a half weeks notice.’
Covington’s next fight has yet to be determined, with plenty of options at welterweight.
