Khabib Nurmagomedov Calls for Fighters to Decline Fights With Colby Covington

#ufc #FamilyFirst pic.twitter.com/dhxTq1DnXI

— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) March 24, 2022

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship champ Khabib Nurmagomedov has chosen a side in the Jorge Masvidal-Colby Covington fracas.

On his social media on Thursday, Nurmagomedov called for fighters to stop accepting matches with Covington based on the American’s conduct when building up fights. The former champ took issue with some of the things Covington said in his buildup against Masvidal at UFC 272 in March. Masvidal claimed that Covington spoke ill of his family, including his children, and that did not sit well with “Gamebred” or Nurmagomedov. Masvidal himself promised that it would be “on sight” – meaning that if they ran into one another on the street, they would fight – following their encounter in the Octagon, and Nurmagomedov believes that Covington crossed a line that should never been crossed.

“If you are stronger than someone inside the Octagon, it does not mean that you can insult his children,” Nurmagomedov wrote. “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?”

Nurmagomedov continued, “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.”

On Monday night, Covington and Masvidal allegedly got into an altercation outside of a Miami restaurant, resulting in Masvidal’s arrest and charges for battery by inflicting great bodily harm and criminal mischief. Per police documents obtained by MMA Fighting on Thursday, Covington made a formal statement to police. In his statement, “Chaos” claimed that Masvidal assaulted him outside of the Papi Steak Restaurant, resulting in a fractured tooth, slight injury to his wrist and damage in the amount of $15,000 to his Rolex watch that cost $90,000. Masvidal has subsequently been released on bond.