UFC 286 backup fighter Colby Covington claims he was “18 pounds overweight” on Thursday


Former UFC interim welterweight champion Colby Covington recently discussed his role as a backup fighter for the main event of UFC 286. Covington, who is widely regarded as one of the top fighters in his weight class, was selected as part of a contingency plan in case any of the scheduled fighters were unable to compete.

In his interview with TheMacLife, Covington expressed his readiness to step in at a moment’s notice and his commitment to staying in peak physical condition. The former two-time title challenger’s professional demeanor and commitment to maintaining peak physical condition as a backup fighter serve as a testament to his dedication to the sport and his desire to compete at the highest level.

‘Chaos’ stated:

“Hunter Campbell called me Tuesday late night and he’s like hey, we need you to fly out to London Wednesday morning. Be the backup and just in case anybody gets hurt or something falls through.”

He further added:

“Just like the ultimate professional that I am you know, I showed up here on Thursday morning 18 pounds overweight.”

Watch Colby Covington’s entire conversation below (timestamp- 0:12 mins. onwards):

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Colby Covington successfully made weight on Friday, indicating that he was fully prepared to step in if needed. Despite reports of his presence in London and readiness to compete, both scheduled fighters were able to meet the weight requirements, eliminating the need for Covington to enter the octagon.


Ariel Helwani claims Edwards and Usman were aware of Colby Covington’s status as the backup contender

Ariel Helwani has reported that both Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman, the two fighters scheduled to compete in the UFC 286 main event, were aware of the fact that Colby Covington had been selected as the backup fighter for the event just moments before weighing in. This indicates that the fighters and the organizers of the event have taken appropriate precautions to ensure that the event can proceed smoothly in case of any unforeseen circumstances.

According to Helwani, Edwards and Usman were not surprised by the existence of Covington as a backup combatant. Even though he was not originally slated to fight in the main event, it is probable that they were prepared for the possibility of encountering him.

The Canadian journalist remarked:

“Covington’s weigh in today may have been a surprise to the public, but I’m told both Edwards and Usman knew about it a while ago.”

Covington’s weigh in today may have been a surprise to the public, but I’m told both Edwards and Usman knew about it a while ago.

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