Colby covington swears Paddy Pimblett behind the scenes of UFC 314. Photo: Reproduction/Twitter
A turbulent confrontation between Paddy Pimblett e Colby covington stole the show backstage at UFC 314, held this Saturday (12) in Miami, in the United States. The tension exploded after the British victory over Michael chandler, when the American provoked the athlete by criticizing his choice of opponents. The incident, recorded by ESPN cameras, required security to intervene to prevent physical escalation.
Shortly after knocking out Chandler in the third round and moving up to lightweight (up to 70,3kg), Paddy was interrupted by Covington during a post-fight interview. The American, who has accumulated two consecutive losses and has not won since 2022, called his rival a 'fraud' and criticized the level of his opponents.
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“You’re fighting losers, guys who are 2-6 (in the UFC). You’re trash,” Colby said.
The Briton responded to the provocation with irony. Referring to a recent encounter at the 'Power Slap' event, he added that his rival saw him, but would have looked at the ground.
“Aren’t you on a two-game losing streak? You scumbag. You only do something when there’s a camera around. He saw me last week and looked at the ground. Now, with the cameras, he’s trying to act tough. I’m going to slap you, but you’re going to call the police, like you did with Masvidal, you snitch,” he replied.
The argument nearly came to blows when Covington approached to threaten, but was restrained by security staff.
It got heated backstage between Colby covington and Paddy Pimblett at #UFC314 pic.twitter.com/4ag6DQ1uEK
- ESPN MMA (@espnmma) April 13, 2025
Dana White reacts to Covington and Pimblett fight
UFC President Dana White downplayed the incident. When asked about the clash, he said that 'fights happen' behind the scenes at the company.
“This happens all the time behind the scenes. Pimblett is in the title race now,” the manager downplayed.
Covington's provocation came at a delicate moment in his career. The former welterweight (77 kg) title challenger has only one win in the last four years and is seeking relevance after falling in the rankings. Pimblett, now undefeated in seven UFC fights, is targeting elite opponents such as Charles of the Bronx, Dustin poirier e Justin gaethje, And Conor McGregor.
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