Colby ‘Chaos’ Covington thrives on attention. Whether he’s fighting inside the Octagon or stirring controversy outside it, the former interim welterweight champ knows how to keep his name in the spotlight. But when he steps into the cage against Joaquin Buckley at UFC on ESPN 63/UFC Tampa, the stakes are higher than ever.

It’s been almost a year since Covington’s last bout and he has had three cracks at the undisputed title but fallen short each time – twice to Kamaru Usman and most recently to Leon Edwards at UFC 296. But has that dampened his belief in himself?

Apparently not, as during the recent media event ahead of UFC Tampa, ‘Chaos’ proclaimed, “My name’s always in title contention. I’m the biggest name in the sport. There’s no stars in this division. It’s a bunch of bums, a bunch of f—- guys that have about as much charisma as the wet mop in the corner. So, you know, I’m the superstar in this division.”

The “biggest name in the sport”? While Conor McGregor is dealing with the fallout of his recent legal troubles and a long-delayed return to the UFC, there’s no denying his place atop the combat sports mountain. A former UFC ‘champ-champ’ and a guaranteed PPV draw, the potential jab at the Irish MMA icon didn’t exactly land well with the MMA fandom. But Covington wasn’t done yet.

He further stated, “I call the shots. You know, I am the champion. Everybody knows I’m the king of Miami. So I think after Saturday night, when I convincingly beat Buckley, you know, I’m next in line for the title.” Bold words indeed, but the fans didn’t hold back in the comment section, and here’s a look at what the netizens had to say!

Fans hand Colby Covington a harsh reality check over jabs at Conor McGregor and welterweight division

While the fans acknowledged Colby Covington’s attempt at drumming up the hype before his fight, his remarks left them questioning his self-belief with a call to go to “therapy”. In fact, the recent remarks stand in stark contrast to his comments during the UFC Journey series where he’d stated, “I lost and forgot who I was, and that was a good reminder that woke me up again. I just had to cancel out the bad energy, and I knew that I couldn’t let that hype and ego get to my head.”

“I know he’s doing it for entertainment purposes but Colby legitimately needs therapy.”

Others couldn’t help but laugh at the former interim welterweight champion’s claims. Since losing his first attempt at the undisputed belt against Kamaru Usman at UFC 245, Covington has been unable to string together a significant winning streak. With a record of 2-2 in his last 4 fights, do you think ‘Chaos’s name will be “always in title contention” as he’s claimed?

“I can’t listen to this without laughing”

Belal Muhammad, the man who currently rules over the welterweight division, was also brought up as an example of being a more recognizable name than Covington. Even though the fans pointed out that Muhammad faced a little hiccup at UFC 310 when he tried to get into the cage to face off against Shavkat Rakhmonov, he still commands more interest. What do you think?

“even belal the one whom being stopped by security is a bigger name than Colby”

Some were even more blunt in their responses by questioning if anyone is keen on watching ‘Chaos’ return to action. With a 58% decision rate in his UFC career according to Tapology, Covington’s effective yet grinding fighting style seems to have turned off a lot of fans.

“Does anyone like Colby at all anymore? Like nobody wants to see a Colby Covington fight”

Others claimed that Covington’s “delusion” is the reason behind his success in MMA and possibly the eventual backlash that comes with the comments he makes.

“Delusion really is the best base for MMA”

While Covington’s bravado may light up press conferences, his recent comments have left many questioning if his self-assurance is more delusion than reality. The backlash is loud and clear. Fans are torn between being entertained by his antics and frustrated by his lack of recent success in the cage. As UFC Tampa approaches, the real question remains, can Colby Covington back up his words, or will the chaos he’s stirred be his undoing? Let us know what you think in the comments below!