LAS VEGAS – Tyron Woodley kept his answers brief and to the point during Thursday’s UFC on ESPN+ 36 news conference.
Woodley, a Black former UFC welterweight champion, shut down every question from reporters, answering “Black lives matter” repeatedly as he was asked about his headlining bout against Colby Covington this Saturday.
Woodley was asked a total of eight questions and didn’t spend more than three minutes on the podium, wearing a Donald Trump-inspired red cap that read, “Make Racists Catch The Fade Again.”
Woodley’s opponent on Saturday, Covington, has been a strong supporter of President Trump. Covington has been a controversial figure in MMA in recent years as he’s instigated many beefs with fighters across weight classes, including his own teammates. Covington also has said insensitive things in the past, such as calling Brazilians “filthy animals” after his 2017 win over Demian Maia in Sao Paulo.
Covington more recently criticized Lebron James, along with other NBA and MLB athletes, for boycotting their respective sporting organizations in protest of the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis.
Woodley has been a long-time activist in his community and supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement. He also did a lot of work in his community of Ferguson, Mo., after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by police back in 2014.
