Justin Gaethje is set to headline one of the most significant UFC events ever this summer, but it could be a difficult night for him.
The interim lightweight champion will attempt to unify the division against Ilia Topuria at the UFC White House card, though he enters as a heavy underdog. He earned his belt by defeating Paddy Pimblett in January at UFC 324, while Topuria's last bout was a win over Charles Oliveira in June.
Gaethje headlines the nation's 250th birthday celebration at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Covington, a long-time critic of Gaethje, feels the fight plays right into his strengths and expects him to deliver.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
When the UFC White House card was revealed, Colby Covington's absence surprised quite a few fans. Over the past decade, he's made his support of Donald Trump a central part of his public persona.
He wasn't impressed with the lineup and said that Justin Gaethje is facing a tough task in the main event. Both Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway – fighters who have previously beaten Gaethje – have been knocked out by Topuria.
Speaking with Daniel Cormier on his YouTube channel, Covington explained: "I think the fans have spoken. The UFC, I love them and they've always got great plans, but they've promised six or seven title fights to President Trump."
Covington added: "It's the celebration of the 250th birthday of the greatest country on God's green Earth; America, you know?
"You'd think there'd be more American fighters on it from top to bottom, you'd think that there'd maybe be some favourable matchups for the Americans. To send Gaethje out there to get slaughtered by Topuria who's the best fighter on the planet right now? No one can dispute that.
"The way he's finishing these guys like Holloway, Volkanovski and Oliveira, he's just on another level right now and he's in his prime. Gaethje is on his way down and there's no beating father time.
"So I just feel like they could have put more Americans in bigger fights and they didn't put the best Americans on the card. Gaethje is a good American fighter but there are great American fighters.
"I'm happy Sean O'Malley is on there, he's going to put on a good show for sure, but Michael Chandler at 41 or 42-years-old [he's 39]? He's a punching bag now, so it's another guy getting sent to slaughter on our birthday for America."
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