UFC 297: Sean Strickland Goes Off on Colby Covington After Embarassing UFC 296 Fight

The UFC middleweight champion didn't hold back when Covington's name was mentioned.

Sean Strickland showed nothing but respect for Dricus Du Plessis at the UFC 297 pre-fight press conference but had some choice words when Colby Covington's name was mentioned. 

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Following his upset victory over Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 last year, Strickland will defend his middleweight belt for the first time when he meets #2-ranked Du Plessis this weekend in Toronto.

The two middleweights famously brawled in the stands at UFC 296 and have exchanged some heated words in the lead up to their fight, but at the UFC 297 pre-fight press conference Strickland was happy to shift his focus to Covington when asked about the welterweight's performance against Leon Edwards.

Covington put on a lackluster performance in his last fight.  :: (Stephen R. Sylvanie/USA TODAY Sports)

“Listen guys, Colby Covington is a f***ing fraud,” Strickland said. “He don’t give a f*** about anybody besides himself man. I’ll tell you what dude, he’s a f***ing shame. It’s a shame, it’s a f***ing damn shame that he f***ing is even in that Octagon talking his s***. He is a f***ing coward, and I’m happy that Leon came out and represented.”

Possibly the most controversial fighter on the UFC roster other than Strickland, Covington challenged Leon Edwards for the welterweight title at UFC 296 but lost a lopsided unanimous decision in his third bid to become undisputed UFC champion.

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The former interim titleholder has continued taking shots at other fighters in the wake of his last loss, and while Strickland has also attracted criticism from fans his comments about Covington elicited raucous chants of approval from the crowd in Toronto.

One other major takeaway from the UFC 297 press conference is that both Strickland and Du Plessis intend to go to war in their headlining bout, and fans will finally get to see the two middleweights settle things this Saturday at the Scotiabank Arena. 

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