Colby Covington may not have many fans cheering for him at UFC 245 on Saturday night but there will be at least one prominent mixed martial arts legend firmly in his corner. 

UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz told MMA Fighting on Friday that he will be traveling to Las Vegas to support Covington as he seeks to become the undisputed welterweight champion of the world when he clashes with Kamaru Usman in the main event. 

The fighters became friends through mutual support of President Donald Trump and now Ortiz will sit cage side to root for Covington in the biggest fight of his career. 

“Colby’s my man,” Ortiz said when speaking about Covington. “ He’s going to kick some ass tomorrow.  I can’t wait.  I’m going to be there.  I’m a guest of Colby.  Colby asked if I could come out, I said of course.  I will be there in the house at the UFC.  It’s going to be an exciting fight.  He’s got a tough fight against Usman.  Usman is a great champion, may the best man win but I think Colby is that man.  He’s got his hands full. 

“Usman’s a tough wrestler and I told Colby a little bit of insight on Usman and he said that’s what they’ve been working on.  He sticks to the game plan, he gets his hand raised, he’s doing something great.” 

Covington shares more in common with Ortiz than just politics as they’ve both been at odds with UFC president Dana White over the years. 

In fact due to his ongoing grudge against White, Covington also invited conservative commentator Candace Owens to the fights as another of his personal guest in hopes that she could put the welterweight title around his waist if he’s victorious in his campaign to defeat Usman. 

Covington has ended up at odds with much of the UFC roster over the past couple of years as he has ratcheted up his outlandish trash talk

Recently, Covington admitted that he had to start showing a different side of his personality after the UFC was apparently going to let him leave the organization at the end of his contract. 

Instead, Covington worked tirelessly to gain attention through his very loud and often controversial trash talk but Ortiz doesn’t see it as anything more than the former interim champion just speaking the harsh truth. 

“As I said through my life and my career as I’ve done, always say the truth, don’t ever lie about a person,” Ortiz stated. “ Don’t ever talk about a person’s country or don’t talk about a person’s religion.  The trash talk can be great but just continue spreading the truth and that’s what Colby does. 

“He’s a good dude.  He’s a hard worker.  He’s a proud American.  I’m thankful for guys like him who are willing to speak up and speak out and just spread the truth that is going on in this country.”