"Like only a true master could" - Chael Sonnen lauds Colby Covington for 'staying in character' through an interview that aimed to go past his polarizing persona

The saying "game recognize game" rings true as Chael Sonnen has admitted he's delighted with Colby Covington's commitment to maintaining his status as the biggest heel in the UFC today.

In the latest episode of his YouTube show, Sonnen – once regarded as the most hated man in MMA – praised Covington for embracing the role of being the sport's main antagonist. The former UFC middleweight title challenger said:

"Where does the person end? Where does the character begin? And Brett [Okamoto] was discussing it. And Colby was very open to say, 'I myself, I turn it up to 11.' Now, what's masterful about this for me is the great performer that is Colby Covington was performing while answering the question about his performance. Like only a true master could, he stayed in character. He apologized for nothing."

Unfortunately, a vast segment of fans and fighters don't necessarily enjoy the antics of both Sonnen and Covington. While both are remarkable characters, many condemn their actions for being outright immoral.

Watch Chael Sonnen's evaluation of Colby Covington's "performance":

Like Sonnen, Covington uses personal insults and flat-out racist statements to draw the ire of UFC fans. Sonnen has garnered backlash in the past for making outrageous comments about his rival Anderson Silva. Meanwhile, Covington has been called out by several athletes of color for his racially charged rhetoric.

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Colby Covington believes he's being unjustly hated on

Colby Covington is convinced that the media is out to get him. Catching up with ESPN's Brett Okamoto, Covington said his status as a villain garners him unfair treatment from the press. The top-ranked UFC middleweight said:

"No one wants to talk about the things that I've done in the sport. The heights that I've reached. The legacy that I've made. The most strikes ever landed in a fight vs. one of the scariest fighters, Robbie Lawler. No one wants to talk about me being the only fighter to go to the White House and hang out with the sitting president. Everybody wanted to downplay my accomplishments like they were nothing."

Covington will have an opportunity to prove that he can back up his trash talk with action when he challenges Kamaru Usman for the 170-pound title at UFC 268. It will be a rematch of their first go-round, which saw Usman retain the crown via a fifth-round TKO.

Check out Colby Covington's full interview below: