Sean O’Malley doesn’t agree with Khamzat Chimaev’s recent assessment of Colby Covington’s promised UFC title shot, but “Sugar” is afraid to tell the Chechen fighter how he really feels.
Earlier this year it was announced that Covington will be getting the next shot at UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards. The title fight isn’t official, but it’s expected to take place later this year. Covington is essentially jumping in front of other deserving contenders like Khamzat, Belal Muhammad, and even Shavkat Rakhmonov.
As expected, Covington’s guaranteed title shot did not sit well with the rest of the division or the mixed martial arts (MMA) community for that matter. Chimaev, who is 6-0 in UFC competition, is one fighter who doesn’t understand Covington’s current position. In fact, “Borz” believes UFC is giving Covington the next title shot because he’s American.
“He’s s—t and they [UFC] gave that chance for him because maybe he’s from USA,” Chimaev recently said on his YouTube channel. “They want the belt for him.”
That’s a bit of a stretch even for the outspoken Chimaev, but it’s hard to really know exactly why Covington is getting the next title shot. It’s probably due to his ability to talk trash and sell fights, but other fighters like Chimaev believe there is an underlying motive.
That’s where O’Malley comes in. The rising UFC bantamweight contender is on the cusp of his own title shot at UFC 292 this August and he believes Khamzat is full of it. O’Malley is just too scared to really come out and say it.
“Woah. Khamzat that’s a little f—king…” joked O’Malley during a recent YouTube video. “I’m offended as an American man myself. Khamzat, you’re lucky, it’s on sight. Jokes, jokes don’t f—king kill me.”
What do you think, Maniacs? Any validity to Chimaev’s claim about Covington’s title shot or all nonsense?
Let’s hear it!
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
