Rafael dos Anjos Calls Out Colby Covington for Stealing Conor McGregor’s Pre-Fight Jokes
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During Thursday’s UFC 225 media call, things got heated between the pair in the lead up to their big fight next weekend. As expected, Covington tried to get under the skin of his opponent, although Dos Anjos was having none of it and stayed calm and composed during the interview, explaining that he had heard it all before in the lead up to his fight with Conor McGregor, which didn’t materialize due to an injury sustained by the Brazilian.
Dos Anjos explained that trash talk by his opponents doesn’t faze
him as he’s grown up with much worse and believes Covington is
doing a poor job imitating McGregor.
“I grew up in Brazil in the favelas, man. Bullies, trash talking, doesn’t work with me,” dos Anjos said Thursday during the heated UFC 225 media conference call. “But I think Colby, he’s just trying [to be McGregor]. Conor does it well. Conor, he’s a rich man, he makes a lot of money. He’s a businessman, and I can respect that. But Colby, he’s just a worse version of Conor McGregor. He’s trying to be like Conor, but when he loses to me, his career is done. All he has is talk, nothing else.”
“Dude, you don’t believe one word that’s coming out of your mouth, Ralphie,” Covington shot back. “Let’s be honest, you ain’t teaching me sh*t. I’ve been to Brazil more than you’ve been there. You live in America, land of the free and home of the brave.”
“That’s a Conor McGregor joke,” dos Anjos responded. “That’s Conor McGregor’s joke, man. You’ve got to create something new. … You’re so fake, bro. You’re so fake. I’m about to be a legend, man, getting two belts. You’re so fake. You say you’re going to say something to Joe Rogan’s face? You say nothing when you see people face-to-face, man. You’re a fraud. You just look at your phone, man. You just bow your head. You just bow your head down and not even look around, man. You don’t even look around.”
“Yeah, because I’m professional fighter,” Covington replied.
“Nah, you’re nothing,” dos Anjos said. “You’re fake. If you’re trying to be a bad guy, you’ve got to be a bad guy all the time. You’re trying to be a bad guy, man. You’ve got to be a bad guy all the time. Don’t be fake.”
“I ain’t fake,” Covington responded. “I’m as real as they come.”
“You’re not. You’re a little p*ssy,” dos Anjos replied. “That’s what you are. You know you are.”
Since moving up a weight class from lightweight to welterweight, Dos Anjos has found success, securing three consecutive victories over Robbie Lawler, Neil Magny, and Tarec Saffiedine. A win over Covington will put himself in position for a fight with the welterweight champion Tyron Woodley and a chance to secure a belt in another division.
Although he has a tough challenge in front of him in Covington, who is riding a five fight winning streak with notable victories over Demian Maia and Dong Hyun Kim.
As with his previous fights, Covington has tried to get inside the head of his opponent, directing insults to both dos Anjos and his home country of Brazil. “RDA” insists his words aren’t affecting him and he’ll be focused on the job next weekend.
“I’m a cold-blooded fighter. I have no emotions,” dos Anjos said.
“Once I step in that cage, I’m just going to think about making that guy quit. Hurt him. Nothing else. Cold-blooded, always.”
Dos Anjos has said he’s noticed a difference between Covington’s online persona compared to how he acts in person. The example he gave was at the UFC’s 25th Anniversary press conference in April, when footage was taken of Covington ignoring attempts from welterweight contender Kamaru Usman to confront him.
“Everybody saw him at media day in New York. When he sees people, he just sticks on his phone and he doesn’t even look around,” dos Anjos said. “This guy’s so fake. When he’s on the phone, he grows his balls. But on fight night, his balls shrink. I’m going to expose him.”
“You honestly don’t believe anything you say, Ralphie,” Covington shot back. “Let’s be honest, you’ve been ducking this fight since Singapore (in June 2017). We were supposed to fight in Singapore and that’s why you got moved below me on the card because you didn’t want to fight me. You said, ‘Oh, Colby, I had to Google you to find out who you are.’ Google me now, b*tch.”
“Hey, little boy,” dos Anjos interrupted. “I’ll fight you next week.”
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