In the lead-up to UFC 314, lightweight contender Michael Chandler was gearing up to face Liverpudlian fan-favorite Paddy Pimblett in a highly anticipated co-main event. To spice things up and stir the pot, ‘Iron’ took to social media and posted a video of himself shadowboxing—while wearing a blonde wig. The jab was obvious, as the wig mimicked the Liverpudlian’s trademark haircut, a subtle yet direct attempt to get under his opponent’s skin. But once fight night arrived, the momentum shifted drastically! Pimblett delivered a dominant performance, finishing Chandler with a vicious ground and pound that sent a clear message to the division.
Still, that wasn’t the night’s biggest storyline. The real fireworks happened behind the scenes. Backstage, following the event, tensions escalated when Colby Covington confronted the Englishman over some previous comments the Brit had made about him. What followed was a fiery verbal exchange, with both fighters accusing each other of name-dropping to stay “relevant” in the headlines. The American slammed the quality of Pimblett’s recent opponents, while the 155fer fired back by taking shots at Colby’s own losing streak. And if anyone thought that confrontation marked the end of their war of words—they were dead wrong.
In a recent appearance on Full Send MMA’, Colby Covington doubled down, once again criticizing ‘The Baddie’s resume and the caliber of competition he’s faced. He pointed out that Pimblett’s last three opponents and their recent records—Tony Ferguson (0-8), Bobby Green (0-2), and most recently Michael Chandler (0-3)—have a combined 13 losses in a row. ‘Chaos’ didn’t hold back: “Look it up, guys—it’s 13 losses in a row. He wants to act like he’s relevant and he’s a star. He’s fucking nobody, bro. You’re nobody. You’ve never headlined an event. You’ve never even been a top contender.” And he didn’t stop there.
Aiming for Pimblett’s appearance, Colby Covington compared the Liverpudlian’s iconic hairstyle to none other than daytime TV host Ellen DeGeneres. “The only reason people care about you is because you’re an Ellen DeGeneres-looking f—-ng scrub,” Colby fired. “And to be honest, it’s because you’ve got a bowl cut and an English accent—that’s the only reason people even want to look at you…he needs to stop running my name through his mouth just to stay relevant.”
However, there’s a flaw in Colby’s critique. His take on Pimblett’s resume doesn’t quite line up with the facts. When Pimblett fought those names in the past, Michael Chandler was on a two-fight losing streak, Tony Ferguson had dropped six straight, and Bobby Green was coming off a win. But that begs the real question—who’s really name-dropping who to stay in the spotlight? One thing that’s crystal clear, though, is Paddy Pimblett’s trajectory. After dismantling Chandler, the Liverpudlian is poised to break into the lightweight division’s top 10 as the new rankings drop.
And as for that ‘Ellen DeGeneres’ label? That might already be outdated. In his latest outings, Paddy has ditched the bowl cut and stepped into the cage with a fresh look—braided hair. MMA pundit Adam Catterall broke down the reason behind the switch while chatting with Tom Aspinall. “Whether he’s getting touched or not, when Paddy’s moving his head, the bowl cut made it look like he was getting clipped. Now that it’s tied back, it’s a lot less noticeable to the judges.”
So with Colby throwing heat and all eyes back on Paddy, the next move is his. Will he let Colby’s words slide—or will the Scouser fire back even harder? Let’s see what the Baddy’s got to say!
Paddy Pimblett shed light on his heated backstage confrontation with Colby Covington after UFC 314
Last Saturday night, Paddy Pimblett stepped into the Octagon and overcame the toughest test of his career, defeating the ranked #7 contender Michael Chandler with a stunning knockout. The victory pushed the Liverpudlian one step closer to the title picture. However, not everyone was impressed. Colby Covington has already shared his verdict, slamming the brakes on ‘The Baddie’s rise. In his words, Colby said, “He’s never going to be champion.” ‘Chaos’ made it clear that he doesn’t believe Pimblett has what it takes to reach the top.
But for the Englishman, Covington’s opinion means nothing. The Liverpudlian dismissed Colby’s remarks as irrelevant. Speaking about the backstage encounter at UFC 314, Pimblett revealed: “Now, he knows there’s a camera about. He walked past, so I just said, ‘Lad, I’ll come and slap you, but you’ll go and ring the police on me like you did with Masvidal, you little grass [snitch].’”
The Englishman didn’t hold back, adding: “He can eat s–t. He pays supermodels to stand with him, the f–ing bum. He’s a nobody. He’s on a three-fight losing streak or something—he’s irrelevant. He’s trying to use me now to stay relevant because he’s a nobody, he’s a bum.”
Now, the question is—does this war of words hint at an eventual clash inside the Octagon, or is it just another heated exchange that’ll fade into the background like many before it? What’s your take on the Paddy Pimblett vs. Colby Covington beef? Drop your thoughts below.
The post Ellen DeGeneres Gets Dragged Into UFC Rivalry as Colby Covington & Paddy Pimblett’s Beef Takes Ugly Turn appeared first on EssentiallySports.