'I don't like his persona' - Colby Covington's antics make Stephen Thompson 'cringe'

Stephen Thompson has asserted that he doesn’t like Colby Covington’s persona. Thompson also revealed that Covington’s antics make him ‘cringe’.

Wonderboy and Chaos are no strangers to one another. Both Stephen Thompson and Colby Covington have expressed interest in fighting each other on previous occasions. However, their fight is yet to come to fruition.

Speaking to Submission Radio, Stephen Thompson weighed in with his thoughts on Colby Covington. Thompson stated:

“Yeah, for the word I got, he (Colby Covington) is looking for just one dance partner, and that’s going to be (Kamaru) Usman. So that’s what he’s striving for, and he even said that, I saw in a recent interview, that he’s willing to wait for that fight. So, we’ll see. I would love that fight though. I think it’s a great test before I fight for the title. To test my takedown defense, obviously with a guy like that, and my cardio. I’m known for my cardio. I don’t get tired, man. The last time anybody thought I was getting tired was the Matt Brown fight. And you know, I was due to the weight cut. And I’ve got that down pat ever since then. So, I think that would be a fun fight for sure, man. I think I would piece him up. I know my striking’s a lot better than Usman’s. So, if I stuff that shot, I’ve fought some really good wrestlers in the UFC, and I would love that fight as well.” Stephen Thompson said, reiterating that he’d love to fight Colby Covington.

Stephen Thompson added, “Well, I hear as a person, he’s actually a really nice guy. But his persona, I don’t like. I think it’s just, I don’t know, it’s kind of cringe. It comes across he really doesn’t mean what he’s saying. And sometimes, he can get a little too personal with people. And it’s like, ‘Come on, man. You’re kind of going below the belt there’. So, I don’t like his persona. Now, him as a legit human being, I hear he’s a great guy. But his UFC persona, I just want to poke him in behind. I’m like dude. So, that’s just me.”

Stephen Thompson also shed light upon how the pre-fight trash talk between him and Colby Covington would go. Thompson said, “Kill him with kindness. I’ll eat him up with just kindness, man. I’ll love the guy, hug the guy, you know what I mean, love him up. Like, ‘Listen, man. I love you, dog. Let’s make this thing happen’. He’s been there talking trash on the other side. Like sometimes, it has a reverse effect. You know, people that trash talk try to get under your skin. But sometimes, I can get under their skin because they can’t frustrate me. They start getting mad, and they start making themselves mad. Oh, it’s funny. I love this game.” (*H/T Sportskeeda for the transcription)

Stephen Thompson referenced Colby Covington’s fifth-round TKO loss to Kamaru Usman, and he insinuated that he’d out-strike and beat Covington even more decisively than Usman.

Is a Stephen Thompson vs. Colby Covington matchup a realistic possibility in 2021?

Stephen Thompson (right) is regarded as one of the best strikers in MMA today

The consensus in the MMA community is that a fight between the No. 5-ranked UFC welterweight Stephen Thompson and the No. 1-ranked Colby Covington is unlikely to take place in the near future.

Stephen Thompson has been unable to get any of his fellow top-five UFC welterweight rivals, as well as the UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, to agree to fight him this year. Meanwhile, Colby Covington has indicated that he’d love to fight either Usman or friend-turned-foe Jorge Masvidal next.