Add Paddy Pimblett’s name to the growing list of fighters hoping to see Colby Covington get his comeuppance at UFC 296.
Covington is a fighter best known for his ability to get under the skin of his opponents, but the staunch Trump supporter clearly took things too far during Thursday’s press event in Las Vegas when he made an unsavory joke about Leon Edward’s late father. Practically everyone in the MMA community has condemned Covington’s statement, including Jon Jones, Sean Strickland, Derek Brunson, and Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson.
Sitting to the left of Covington when the verbal low blow was dished out, Paddy Pimblett had a strong desire to stand up and wallop the outspoken welterweight title challenger in the head.
“I wanted to jump up and punch him in the back of the head,” said Pimblett. “I wanted to hit him. That was way too far. You can’t say something like that about someone’s dead relative. Someone said something about my nan or grandma, I’d jump up and punch him in the face.
“I hope he knocks him clean out. I hope he sends him to the shadow realm” (h/t MMA Mania).
Covington attempted to make amends during the ceremonial weigh-ins on Friday, telling Leon Edwards that he was simply “in character” when he made the abominable jibe.
Covington steps into UFC 296 on Saturday night for his third opportunity to claim the 170-pound crown after coming up short against former champion Kamaru Usman on two separate occasions.
Edwards captured the title against the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ at UFC 278, scoring a stunning fifth-round head kick KO with less than a minute to go in the fight. He has since defended the title against Usman in March, walking away with a unanimous decision victory and his gold intact.