Colby Covington is under fire on social media after a video of him choking rapper Lil Pump went viral.
On Saturday, Lil Pump posted a 27 second clip from his upcoming Kick stream, where Covington puts him in a rear naked choke. As the former UFC interim welterweight champion squeezed, Lil Pump gasped for air before his body went limp.
Users didn’t let this incident pass unnoticed and criticized the controversial fighter for not letting go of the rapper.
‘Colby Covington has shown – once again – that he is a complete and utter scumbag,’ a fan wrote. ‘Lil Pump (who doesn’t work out) has tapped multiple times – he just wants to create content with Colby and is presumably a guest at his gym.
“Colby responds by ignoring the tap and risking injury. Dick.”
UFC welterweight star Colby Covington went viral when he choked out a small pump during a Kick stream
After Pump passed out, members of Covington’s team quickly lifted his feet to get blood flowing to his head. Before the rapper regained consciousness, Covington said, “Look at his eyes, bro, he’s out” as he stood over Pump.
Another user pointed out that Pump tapped himself instead of Covington before his lights went out. It didn’t help Covington’s case, though.
“It looks like he tapped the pump but then realized he was tapping himself instead of Colby? He then tapped Colby a few times but the professional fighter didn’t stop,” the user wrote. ‘And did he really have to go to that much trouble to strangle someone who had already tapped live on camera? L.’
“Honestly pretty f***** video. @lilpump sorry this happened bro,” the fan added.
A third user wrote: ‘Good old f****** Colby Covington! Let’s just keep choking a guy out cold after he tapped 37 times.’
In the meantime a fourth joked that Covington achieved his “first finish since 2016.”
Fans criticized the ever-controversial Covington for choking the rapper unconscious
Covington has a 17-4 MMA record and is ranked #5 in the UFC’s 170lb division
Since the clip began with them lying on the mat, it’s unclear whether Pump instructed Covington to ignore his taps.
The ever-controversial fighter has not set foot in the Octagon since his disappointing loss to then-champion Leon Edwards in December.
In the build-up to the UFC 296 main event, Covington was criticized for his antics after he brought up Edwards’ late father during a press conference. As a result, the Englishman threw a water bottle at the American and a fight nearly broke out on stage.
I’ll take you to the seventh layer [of] “From hell,” Covington said, donning a MAGA hat and a Founding Fathers costume. “We’ll say ‘what’s up’ to your dad when we get there.”
Covington holds a 17-4 MMA record and is ranked No. 5 in the UFC’s 170lb division.