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USATSI

Colby Covington is an ace trash talker. The interim welterweight champion who is still awaiting a date with full champ Tyron Woodley in 2019 said he will carry the promotional tour if needed with Woodley. But "Chaos" also admitted recently to something many fighters rarely do: nerves.

In his 2017 bout with legendary fighter Demian Maia in Brazil, Covington told CBS Sports he was feeling the nervous energy before making the walk to the Octagon in front of a hostile crowd.

"I remember in the locker room that was the first time I had been nervous, usually I don't get nervous before fights but I just had this feeling in my stomach like 'damn, I'm a little bit nervous,'" Covington said. "I don't know if it was the crowd and the Brazilians, but I was a little bit nervous. Then I went in and came out pretty much unscathed. He landed the one punch on me and I left him in a pool of blood, he was pretty much unconscious by the end of the third round."

Covington then delivered his now infamous quote where he called Brazil a dump and all Brazilians filthy animals. He has no regret over that quote given what he says was directed at him all week.

"I wanted to get out what the crowd was playing into me all week. All week, they're saying 'I f---ed your mother.' As I'm walking out, 'You will die.' You know, you don't hear chants in America where you hear 'you will die.' Imagine if that was going on at basketball games or NFL games, you don't do that. If you're gonna dish it, you have be able to take it."

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