KEY POINTS

  • Khabib Nurmagomedov wants the UFC welterweight division to boycott Colby Covington following his altercation with Jorge Masvidal
  • Political commentator Candace Owens shared her bold take on Nurmagomedov's remarks
  • Masvidal has been charged with aggravated battery and criminal mischief but pleaded not guilty to both charges

Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov was heavily criticized by a non-MMA personality.

Bitter UFC rivals Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal have been all over the MMA news this week following their altercation in a restaurant in Miami on Monday.

After learning that Masvidal assaulted Covington because the latter talked about his family, Nurmagomedov sided with Masvidal and urged the promotion’s welterweight fighters to boycott “Chaos” as punishment.

Political commentator Candace Owens reckoned that Nurmagomedov is too soft for the sport of MMA. Owens mocked the former UFC champion on social media, suggesting that he join a sport where altercations are strictly prohibited such as basketball.

“Right? This is so embarrassing,” Owens said in her reply to a Twitter user who said Nurmagomedov was “soft.” “Calling for a boycott. He better go buy a p---- hat and join the NBA. MMA is a man’s sport.”

Her comments came after Nurmagomedov said that regardless of how heated a rivalry is in MMA, family should never be involved.

In the two fighters’ case, Nurmagomedov said that even though Covington got the better of Masvidal, it doesn’t give him the right to talk about his opponent’s family.

“If you are stronger than someone inside the octagon, it does not mean you can insult his children,” Nurmagomedov wrote on Twitter. “No one has the right to insult someone’s family. Once you have gone down this path, then be ready to back up your words. You were attacked by a professional fighter, the same as you are, your own size, and you go press charges against him to the police?”

“I think all welterweights should refuse to fight Colby, just don’t accept fights with him, let him sit without a fight, it will probably significantly affect him and all fighters who even think of insulting families, who is provoking the fighters to look for someone in restaurants to deal with him.”

Khabib Nurmagomedov
Khabib Nurmagomedov will put his lightweight title and unbeaten record on the line against Conor McGregor. In this picture, Nurmagomedov celebrates his win over Al Iaquinta (not shown) to capture the UFC lightweight championship at UFC 223 at Barclays Center in New York City on April 7, 2018. Ed Mulholland/Getty Images

After being assaulted, Covington reached out to the police and pressed charges.

Masvidal was charged with aggravated battery and criminal mischief Wednesday night in Miami Beach. According to online court records obtained by MMA Fighting, the 37-year-old wrote a “plea of not guilty along with a demand for a trial by jury.”

Masvidal’s next court date will take place on April 21.

The UFC, on the other hand, has yet to release an official statement about the issue.

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