Covington: Fighting is ‘more dangerous than a little flu’

Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Was cancelling the next three UFC shows the right move? Colby Covington doesn’t think so.

Colby Covington is prioritising a rematch with Kamaru Usman after a fight Tyron Woodley with fell through this weekend due to the coronavirus.

Covington (15-2) was hoping to step in against Woodley after the former welterweight champion’s fight with Leon Edwards was scrapped following the cancellation of UFC London. “Chaos” said the promotion was looking at India, Southern California and Alabama as potentially venues to relocate the card.

The UFC were forced to postpone their next three events due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Covington told MMA Fighting he thinks it was the wrong move and that as fighters they already put themselves at a high risk anyway.

”I don’t think it was the right move,” Covington said. “I think we’re healthy, young professional athletes. We already do something that’s dangerous enough as it is, getting locked into an octagon and fighting each other, so what’s more dangerous than a little flu that’s going on right now? I think people just need to be more aware of what’s going on, wash their hands, social distancing, this and that. But as professional athletes, we already risk enough as it is.”

Related: Max Holloway has a much more rational take on COVID-19 than most fighters

After his fight with Woodley fell through, Covington isn’t planning on facing his longtime rival anytime soon, instead a rematch against Usman “takes priority” as he seeks to avenge the stoppage loss to his foe that he suffered back at UFC 245 last December.