According to a UFC contender, the promotion is making a misstep by scheduling Justin Gaethje to fight Ilia Topuria on June 14.
The UFC event, which marks the 250th anniversary of the United States, will be held on the South Lawn of the White House. The main event will feature a lightweight title unification bout between champion Ilia Topuria and the current interim champion, Justin Gaethje.
Many bookmakers, fans, and analysts already predict that Topuria, known as “El Matador,” will defeat Gaethje, nicknamed “The Highlight,” possibly forcing him into retirement. Topuria himself has expressed confidence in securing a first-round knockout victory.
Colby Covington’s Concerns About Gaethje’s Matchup
In a recent interview, Colby Covington, who was not included in the White House event, voiced his concerns about the June 14 headliner and other fights. Covington, referred to as “Chaos,” feels the UFC is making a significant error by pitting American fighters against formidable champions and top contenders from other nations during a patriotic American celebration.
He stated:
“This is a celebration of the 250th birthday of the greatest country on Earth, America. You’d expect more American fighters, top to bottom. You’d think there would be some favorable matchups for the Americans, but Justin Gaethje is being sent to the slaughter at the White House. Topuria is arguably the best fighter on the planet right now. He’s been dominant, finishing guys like Holloway, Volkanovski, and Oliveira. He’s on another level and in his prime, while Gaethje is declining. They haven’t put the best American fighters on this card.”
Colby Covington also criticized the UFC’s decision to match the 39-year-old Michael Chandler, who is on a three-fight losing streak, against the aggressive and promising knockout artist Mauricio Ruffy on the same card, labeling it another matchmaking mistake for the White House event.
Watch Colby Covington’s comments regarding Justin Gaethje below:
[Embed of the Twitter video]
