Are the fans having a change of heart about Colby Covington? True to his nickname, ‘Chaos’ is known for his relentless trash talk and questionable antics before his fights. The no. 9 ranked UFC welterweight has built his career on playing the villain, but it looks like the tide may be shifting.
A recent picture of Covington with boxing legend Mike Tyson at Mar-a-Lago has sparked an unusual reaction from fans. Has ‘Chaos’ finally found a way to dodge the internet’s unforgiving scrutiny?
In a post on his Instagram account, Covington wrote, “Always great to see the champ @miketyson at Mar-A-Lago”, standing side by side with the former heavyweight king. Normally, Covington’s posts trigger an avalanche of trolling.
But this time, ‘Iron Mike’s legendary aura seems to have shielded the UFC star from the usual digital storm his posts elicit. It’s no secret that Colby Covington has long embraced the role of MMA’s most controversial figure.
From mocking opponents’ personal lives to making inflammatory political statements, he’s made headlines for all the wrong reasons. His infamous jab at Leon Edwards’ late father before UFC 296 sent shockwaves through the MMA world and solidified his place as one of the most polarizing figures in the sport.
Yet, for all his notoriety, Covington rarely finds himself in the good graces of fans. That’s why his recent post with Mike Tyson stands out and here’s a look at what the netizens had to say!
Mike Tyson ‘shields’ Colby Covington as fans come out with a rare show of respect for ‘Chaos’
Colby Covington a living legend? A phrase rarely, if ever, used to describe Covington without sarcasm. But standing next to Mike Tyson, the sentiment by the fan seemed genuine. After all, ‘Iron Mike’ is not just a combat sports icon, but a cultural figure respected across generations. The same respect also extended to ‘Chaos’ this time.
“Two living legends!”
Others decided to create a ‘mash-up’ of their nicknames to highlight their respect for the two men. However, Colby Covington wasn’t always the outspoken personality he is today. In fact, there was a time when the UFC was ready to cut him loose. After a dominant win over Dong Hyun Kim in 2017, Covington received shocking news.
Despite his success, UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby wasn’t keen on re-signing him. “I was destroying everybody, and they told me they weren’t going to re-sign me, they had no use for me,” Covington recalled during an ESPN interview. That was the moment ‘Chaos’ was born. And so far, love him or hate him, people are always talking about him.
“Iron Chaos”
Another fan chimed in with a rare moment of praise for Covington. For all the controversy he generated, ‘Chaos’ was always an elite fighter. His relentless pace, suffocating wrestling, and iron will earned him multiple shots at the UFC gold. And so, standing beside Mike Tyson, the fans were seemingly reminded of Covington’s undeniable skills inside the Octagon
“My two favorite fighters”
But as is tradition, some fans couldn’t resist throwing out playful jabs about the long-standing rivalry between Colby Covington and Kamaru Usman. Their fights were among the most intense in welterweight history, and even today, their interactions remain tense. Just weeks ago, during a live stream, Covington and Usman shared an awkward exchange at UFC Vegas 102. ‘Chaos’ later joked, “I don’t think he wanted to talk on the stream, he didn’t want the chat to hear what he had to say but yeah, we’ll definitely chop it up a little bit, maybe we’ll get a picture or maybe we’ll just fight, you never know.”
“I thought that was Usman at first”
This fan also acknowledged the fact that Mike Tyson’s respect for Covington is evident in their picture. For a fighter like ‘Chaos’, who has always fought to stay relevant, this kind of acknowledgment is rare. In the past, he’s had to manufacture respect through controversy, whether by stirring up feuds with fighters like Kamaru Usman or making outlandish claims in the media. But here, respect came without the need for theatrics
“Real recognizes real”
To wrap things up, it looks like Colby Covington may have finally earned the respect of the fandom. Whether it was Mike Tyson’s legendary status rubbing off on him or fans momentarily setting aside their usual disdain, ‘Chaos’ managed to escape the storm of criticism that typically follows him. But does this signal a real shift in how fans perceive Covington? Or was it simply the ‘Iron Mike effect’ at play? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!
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