BUCHAREST, ROMANIA: Former UFC interim welterweight champion Colby Covington recently surprised many by openly expressing his admiration for the divisive social media influencer Andrew Tate.

Tate has a track record of sharing contentious opinions and ideologies, which has garnered criticism from various celebrities and made public figures hesitant to align with him. Covington's endorsement is a remarkable display of unexpected support.

Colby Covington states he 'looks up' to Andrew Tate

During an exclusive interview with James Lynch, Covington openly voiced his admiration for Andrew, who is known for his involvement in numerous controversies.

Covington further asserted that he believes some individuals are attempting to depict both Andrew and his brother Tristan Tate in a negative light, projecting false narratives onto them.

He emphasized his lack of any issues with the Tate brothers, expressing his genuine respect for their communication skills and even admitting to occasionally trying to emulate certain aspects of their approach.

Covington said, "I think that people are trying to paint them in a bad light and project something onto them that's not true."

"I have no problems with those guys, I actually look up to those guys, I think they're very well-spoken and, you know, I try and model myself a little bit sometimes like those guys," he added.

Colby Covington calls Andrew and Tristan Tate 'intelligent'

During a past seminar, Covington had lauded Andrew and Tristan, commending them as exceptionally intelligent individuals with outstanding communication abilities.

In particular, he singled out Andrew's interview with Tucker Carlson, applauding the truthfulness of his statements and acknowledging the substantial influence of his perspectives on the American audience.

In the clip, Covington is seen saying, "Yeah, I have no issues with the Tates. I think they're very intelligent guys. They come across as very well-spoken."

"You know, I have no issues with them. I think he did a great interview the other day with Tucker Carlson," he pointed out.

"I think there's a lot of truth to what he's saying and, you know, I think people are experiencing that now in America," Covington added.