5 reasons why Colby Covington should drop his 'heel' persona

Colby Covington has emerged as the No. 1-ranked welterweight contender and one of the biggest loudmouths in the UFC. The promotion is fraught with intense competition and historically merit was the primary driving force that pushed fighters into superstardom. In 2016, the company was bought out by the entertainment conglomerate Endeavor Group Holdings.

Following the approximate $4 billion acquisition, it became increasingly clear that the UFC was gearing its brand towards entertainment. Conor McGregor's success spoke far louder than his rhetoric, and Colby Covington soon trailed behind the superstar with his outspoken nature.

Colby Covington is set to face Kamaru Usman in a rematch. The first fight was hailed as one of the best welterweight title affairs ever. 'The Nigerian Nightmare' secured the TKO victory in dramatic fashion in the fifth round. On Nov. 6 at UFC 268, inside the famed Madison Square Garden venue, bad blood will boil over and the two will settle their differences.

'Chaos' is one of the most polarizing fighters in mixed martial arts. Colby Covington's demeanor has led to various altercations with fellow UFC fighters. Despite the success Covington has had with his persona, today we will examine 5 reasons why 'Chaos' should abandon the 'heel persona' that he is known for.

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#5. Less pressure on Colby Covington in the lead-up to big fights

Since Colby Covington entered the spotlight, he hasn't taken a step back. Similar to his 'walk-you-down' fighting style, the former title challenger always builds fights into bigger affairs. Of course, his entertainment style offers promotion but can be a double edged sword.

UFC fights for Colby Covington continue to increase in profile, so chatter and trash talk increase exponentially. Understanding the gravity of the moment is a useful skill the 33-year-old possesses. Clearly 'Chaos' has come to believe in the mental warfare he exercises before fights.

Colby Covington admittedly learned that the UFC doesn't just sell fights, but controversy too. In fact, the rising UFC star affirmed that his persona was in large part developed because fans simply weren't interested in his fighting career beforehand. Speaking on Submssion Raido, the No. 1-ranked welterweight gave a surprisingly down-to-earth interview in 2018.

The antics of Colby Covington arguably worked in his favor when he defeated scorned nemesis Tyron Woodley. However, against a consummate professional like Kamaru Usman, the results of the rematch will be determined by skill and fortitude. If 'Chaos' eases up on pre-fight trash talk, then he will perhaps face less public pressure when he vies for gold next month.

#4. Colby Covington could affect his future training endeavors

With a personality as brash as Colby Covington's, it's no surprise the former title challenger has struggled to get along with others. Many of his friends have now soured into adversaries like Jorge Masvidal and Dustin Poirier. However, during his time as a UFC star, he has also rubbed elbows with some big names.

Nevertheless, Colby Covington has moved full-steam ahead with his UFC career. In May 2020, he officially parted ways with Dan Lambert and American Top Team after a long tenure.

It's important to note that Colby Covington has already competed under the umbrella of his new team. The former 170-pound interim champion last stepped into the cage against Tyron Woodley. The Oregon native showcased his elite wrestling style and nullified 'The Chosen One'. In the fifth round, Covington would secure a finish after Woodley suffered a rib injury.

While Dan Lambert and Colby Covington are on good terms, Covington thought it was best to leave and began scouting for training partners and coaches. Athletes from all over the country have condemned his demeanor outside of the octagon. Due to this, it seems likely that Colby Covington will struggle to find places to train in the future.

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#3. Elite talent will be more inclined to fight Colby Covington if he drops his 'heel' persona

The expression, 'you can catch more flies with honey' easily applies to Colby Covington. Covington's dramatized persona has led to some heated moments and, as a result, friendships and alliances have dissolved. In addition, the former interim champion has started fights with fighters from his own weight class all the way up to heavyweight.

During a UFC-related visit to Australia, Colby Covington and Fabricio Werdum got into an altercation. After a disagreement took place, the former heavyweight champion threw a boomerang at Colby Covington's face. The former title challenger dodged the projectile and filed a complaint about the attack to the Sydney, Australian police department.

Colby Covington's 'heel persona' was also brought to a head after he made disparaging remarks about Brazilians and the nation of Brazil. In particular, Covington called the country "a dump" and referred to its citizens as "filty animals." Covington's remarks were made after his bloody decision victory over Demian Maia in 2017.

In an interview with ESPN, Colby Covington revealed his belief that the UFC struggled to get Kamaru Usman to sign for the Nov. 6 rematch.

In the lead-up to his second fight with Kamaru Usman, Colby Covington has often claimed that the rematch proved difficult to book. The former interim champion maintains that the problems were not from his end. Ahead of the second fight, Covington appears calm, dialed in, and less focused on the persona he's been keeping up outside the cage.

#2. Fans would get behind Colby Covington if he dropped his persona

Colby Covington has benefitted from being the 'heel' and utilizing entertainment as a means to drive fighter branding. However, with how polarizing Covington has become among his peers, it has arguably become a detriment to his burgeoning MMA career.

The persona has resulted in the loss of at least two training partners, the aforementioned Dustin Poirier and Jorge Masvidal. Since some of his tiffs have been with high-profile fighters, fans have begun to pick sides. With that in mind, the welterweight would likely have more fans if he dropped his persona.

At times, fans of the sport can be the driving force when fights are being determined and negotiated. Ahead of the showdown in November, Covington has complained that Usman had stalled in negotiations and was unwilling to take the fight initially.

In their first encounter, the two fought a painful fight which saw dramatic shifts in momentum. The fight went all five rounds, and the two were awarded fight of the night honors. Usman secured the victory via TKO.

However, Colby Covington would have likely had far less trouble acquiring the rematch if it garnered demand like the second time Masvidal fought Usman. Masvidal lost against Usman but still received a second shot at gold before Covington. On a merit basis, Covington deserved the title shot more because he had earned a finish win against Tyron Woodley.

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#1. The persona of Colby Covington is tiring

Maintaining the No. 1-ranking in the UFC welterweight division is hard enough. Still, doing all of that while keeping up a persona is downright exhausting. Of course, the persona was started by Covington himself, with the intention of getting fans more invested in his MMA career.

Colby Covington attracts large audiences now, but that wasn't always the case. It is an uphill battle attempting to argue that his persona hasn't helped his career trajectory. Face it, many were unsure of who Covington was before he made his dramatic and outspoken re-entrance into the sport.

While his persona has gotten him to the dance thrice now, perhaps it's time to drop it. Colby Covington has established himself as one of the fiercest competitors on the roster. With his insane pace and work ratio, there are few, if any, fighters outside of the champion that can equal his stamina.

With one of the most important fights of his life less than a month away, perhaps ditching the abrasive persona would result in a huge windfall of fans. In addition, the facade could get tiring after a while. Either way, on Nov. 6 at UFC 268, personas will be put aside, and Colby Covington will have to account for every word spoken in the lead-up to one of the biggest pay-per-views of the year.