Colby Covington recemented his spot this weekend as the No. 1 ranked welterweight in the UFC, defeating Jorge Masvidal by unanimous decision in a dominating performance at UFC 272.
After losing two of his past three fights, with both blemishes suffered against welterweight champ Kamaru Usman, the win was an emphatic statement for Covington. The backstory of Covington and Masvidal helped carry the fight, as the former best friends and teammates took a page out of a pro wrestling story line to sell their fight. That makes sense considering Covington has long held an affinity for pro wrestling. Eventually, he would even like to land in WWE once his career in the Octagon is complete.
“I’d love to cross over and come into the WWE,” says Covington, 34. “But I love being a UFC fighter. I love fighting; it’s my passion and what I was born and put on this earth to do. After my career with the UFC is done, WWE is something I’d love to dabble in.”
A plethora of fighters have transitioned from MMA to pro wrestling, including Ken Shamrock, Matt Riddle, “Filthy” Tom Lawlor, Shayna Baszler and Josh Barnett. Former UFC star Paige VanZant just signed with AEW. Perhaps most famous is MMA pioneer Ronda Rousey, who is headlining the first night of this year’s WrestleMania in a match against Charlotte Flair.
“Ronda Rousey has really impressed me [in WWE],” Covington says. “Her promo game has come on strong. She’s just a true entertainer. She knows how to put on a show for a crowd.
“She is the baddest woman in combat sports. Look at her track record—she’s a trendsetter. The things she did in the UFC are unheard of. I’m a big fan of Ronda Rousey and I love the way she competes. I think she’s going to be the best WWE wrestler for a long time to come.”
Covington already enters the UFC Octagon to the same music Kurt Angle used in WWE, allowing the crowd to shout the organic “You Suck!” lyrics while he struts down the aisle. While not an Olympic gold medalist like Angle, Covington was a decorated collegiate wrestler at Oregon State. And he even has some experience in pro wrestling, having made a brief foray five years in Impact Wrestling as part of the angle with Dan Lambert’s American Top Team.
But pro wrestling is more than just a show. It is a lifestyle. If Covington is truly serious about transitioning into pro wrestling, he will quickly learn that it entails an entirely different set of circumstances than found in mixed martial arts. Two-time WWE champion Drew McIntyre echoed that point of view, sharing that the greatest challenges present themselves outside the ring.
“It’s tougher than it seems,” says McIntyre, who has been wrestling across the globe for the past 21 years. “That’s the one thing I hear from every high-level athlete, whether they’re someone from MMA, an Olympian, All-Americans, or football players. The physical aspect is important, but so is the mental element.
“This is 52 weeks a year. Live events. Life on the road. It is a real commitment, one not everyone is willing to make.”
Full of bravado—and staying true to character—Covington expressed no concern that he could handle life between the ropes.
“I’m ‘Chaos.’ I’m unpredictable, so you’ll never know where I’ll end up next,” Covington says. “I feel like I’m the baddest man on the planet, so you just might see me in WWE one day.”
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Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
