Colby Covington’s persona does not possibly resonate with combat sports fans. His trash-talking ability is pretty infamous which moves his life around controversial settings. And his recent losses against Leon Edwards and Joaquin Buckley don’t help his case. But outside the fighting realm, ‘Chaos’ desires peace, not just for himself, but for the community as well. Needless to say, some of his gestures have usually sent the fight fans into a spiral of praise. 

On December 18th, a post went viral on Reddit that showed Covington striving to help the 9/11 first responders and military veterans through the charitable trust America’s Champions Foundation. The welterweight contender claimed, “America’s Champions Foundation is my way of fighting for all the brave men and women in the Veteran and First Responder Communities.” The caption reflected the fans’ appreciation for Covington’s act.

The caption read, “Did you know? Colby Covington has a charity that helps veterans and their families, allowing them to live a better life. Way to go, Colby! Protecting those vets!”

According to the Institute for Veterans and Military Families, in 2019, about 1 in every 3 post-9/11 veterans are unemployed or underemployed. The Journal of Traumatic Stress in 2016 pointed out, “Up to 40% of first responders may experience mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety, which can make it difficult for them to transition to civilian employment.”

Standing up to help the veterans in need has indeed changed the way netizens look at the former interim welterweight champion. He has often praised fighters who are ready to lay down their lives for the greater good. By promoting a fundraising campaign for American heroes, Colby Covington has indeed secured a special place in the fans’ hearts.

Fans lift Colby Covington up high for his stand on American veterans

Support flowed in for ‘Chaos’ as soon as the Reddit post began appearing on the netizens’ feeds. Taking to the comments section, the fans expressed their feelings about Covington’s act. One fan wrote, “Good on you, Colby! See, he’s not heartless.” Another fan commented, “He’s doing God’s work.” No wonder the fans were proud of the welterweight star. 

While Covington had a persona that made many fight fans dislike him, his actions outside the MMA world spoke of him in a completely different light. One fan reflected on this and wrote, “This should go without saying, but you can dislike someone while simultaneously admitting that (some of) their ideals are well-founded.” Meanwhile, another fan wrote, “Colby is a d**che-canoe, but I have respect for this move as long as that money is truly going to veterans.” 

A few fans even supported ‘Chaos’ in his trash-talking and resentful attitude inside the cage. After all, it wasn’t hard for the fans to notice that it was all an act. One fan commented, “People still forget that HE’S PLAYING A PART. He said so himself long ago; it’s just a persona to sell tickets. Outside the cage, he’s an alright guy.” Another comment read, “I’m not a fan of him, but this whole persona was purely to keep his job.” 

However, some fans decided to attack Covington’s professional career. After all, losing back-to-back fights does bring down a fighter’s credibility. The way he lost at UFC Tampa seemed to have greatly disappointed the fighting community. One fan commented, “Maybe just focus on that. Forget about fighting for now.” 

What do you think of Covington’s move to help the war veterans and 9/11 first responders? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.