UFC 245: Colby Covington gets ‘poetic justice’ as Kamaru Usman wires his MAGA mouth shut

Asked if it was “poetic justice” that Colby Covington had to have his mouth wired shut, Kamaru Usman could only smile.

“Eh, you said it, right on the money,” the welterweight champion replied at the UFC 245 post-event press conference, after breaking Covington’s jaw en route to a fifth-round TKO win.

The build-up to Saturday night’s heated main event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas had been marred by Covington’s relentless trash talking, fuelled by his “MAGA” persona including red Donald Trump cap and all.

“At the end of the day, honestly, before I step into that cage I pray every time, not just for my safety but their safety as well,” Usman said. “It’s unfortunate he has to go and wire that jaw shut. He said a lot of things, and you have to back it up. He was humble … I’d like to think he’s humble. I wish him all the best.”

Good on Usman for taking the high road, but perhaps he wants to rethink that part about Covington being humble.

As soon as Usman’s hand was raised and the title belt was slapped around his waist, “Chaos” charged straight out of the Octagon to the back, barging into a couple of people on his way. He then launched a foul-mouthed Twitter rant at “fake ref” Marc Goddard for a “fake stoppage”.

But those piling in on Covington – and there are a lot doing so, including Jorge Masvidal – are missing the point: did you really expect anything different?

Covington has admitted he “turned heel” and created an act, as inciting as it may be, to get people interested in him after fearing he would be cut by the UFC a few years ago.

The US president’s sons have become two of his biggest cheerleaders, as well as several other prominent figures within the echo chamber of conservative media personalities; he met Trump in the Oval Office and got a congratulatory phone call from him after his win against Robbie Lawler.

“You are the champ. The Nigerian crybaby is a scam. You were just a better fighter in every regard,” American conservative commentator Candace Owens wrote in reply to his Instagram moan that he was “robbed”.

“Only haters and losers are denying who the TRUE CHAMP is – Colby Covington!” tweeted Mike Cernovich.

To whine about the stoppage and being unfairly treated is all part of Covington’s calculated game plan. It continues to rile up – or “trigger”, as Donald Trump Jnr would put it – the liberal social media personalities who are so incensed by everything the president and his followers do or say.

“You literally got your jaw broke and got knocked down twice in the final round,” writer and civil rights activist Shaun King tweeted to Covington. “The ref stopped it because you were getting mauled. You then ran from the ring like a baby.”

Who knows, maybe Covington himself was truly humbled by the defeat. But what’s for sure is he will never show an inch of remorse for his actions and words.

Doing so might endanger his popularity in the MAGA-sphere and among the Trump fan base, which is diehard in its belief of never backing down; of counterpunching harder like the president and his political supporters do whenever they are criticised.

Covington calls himself “The People’s Champ” and draped himself in the Stars and Stripes as he made his way to the Octagon. But Usman argued he is “more American” than Covington.

“An immigrant who came here and worked my ass off to get to the top, that’s what it means to be an American, not just because you were born here,” he said. “None of these guys work harder than me.

“You don’t have to walk round like a punk and abuse countries and talk about religion. I walk with integrity, because I want everyone watching me to look and say that’s the example that we like. When the fans were chanting ‘USA’, you damn sure better believe that was because of me.”

However you feel about him, Covington showed tremendous heart to almost finish the fight competing for the final two rounds with a broken jaw.

He also stood “mano a mano” with Usman, engaging him in the middle of the Octagon for the whole fight instead of using his wrestling, something which earned the champion’s respect.

“He surprised me a bit, he was hitting me with shots,” Usman said. “He’s a tough guy, I always gave him credit.”

So did Dana White.

“Going into the fight I told everybody don’t let all the b******* and stupid talk overshadow the fact this kid is tough, talented,” the UFC president said.

“Covington hit him with some big shots, knees and elbows. To have a broken jaw in third round and almost finish the fight is pretty impressive. For as big as his mouth is, the guy can fight.”

But “The Nigerian Nightmare” probably won’t be sending Covington a Christmas card.

“It takes a lot to carry that whole act, that fake bravado, that negativity,” Usman said. “Imagine now what he’s gonna be going through. It takes a lot out of you physically and mentally.”

“It’s good to move past all of that … there was a lot emotionally, a lot that he said,” Usman added. “When you push hate and separation, love and unity does win sometimes and tonight it won.”