Colby Covington: 'I'm going to make the UFC great again'

Former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington has been an unapologetic supporter of president-elect Donald Trump since the 2016 election cycle.  Heading into Saturday's UFC on ESPN 63 main event against Joaquin Buckley in Tampa, Fla., Covington draws inspiration from soon-to-be president.

"I've been hearing some the chatter, people saying that 'Chaos' is dead.  They have no idea what's coming on Saturday.  I'm going to put in the best performance of my career and I super inspired by Donald Trump taking back the White House," Covington told TMZ Sports.  

"Saturday night, I'm going to make the UFC great again," Covington continued.  "When Trump gets inaugurated, he's going to make America great again."

After Covington won the interim 170-pound championship in June 2018, then-president Trump called Covington at the arena.  Covington later became the first UFC fighter to visit the White House.

"(I'm the) first and only fighter ever to deliver the belt to a sitting president in the Oval Office in the White House.  I plan on doing it a second time," Covington said.

"Next year I feel like I'm going to be very active and get another title shot early first quarter, or by summer at the latest.  I do plan on hand delivering another belt, the new belt," Covington continued.  "He's got the old belt.  We've got to get him the new belt."      

Colby Covington invited to attend Donald Trump's Inauguration 

On Jan. 20, Donald J. Trump will be sworn in as president of the United States for a second time.  Colby Covington will be in attendance after receiving an invite from the Trump campaign.

"Definitely I'll be at the inauguration.  I'm thankful that I got invited by the campaign," Covington said.  "2025 is going to be beautiful.  A lot of good things are happening.  America is first again and Colby is going to be first again."