UFC welterweight Colby Covington applied a choke hold on rapper Lil Pump during a livestream on Saturday, causing concern among viewers and fans.
The incident, captured on video, shows Covington maintaining his grip on Pump for approximately 10 seconds. The rapper appears to struggle initially before his body goes limp and his eyes widen.
Lil Pump can be seen tapping on his own chest, which deviates from the standard practice of tapping out on the opponent’s body or the ground in mixed martial arts competitions.
The video begins with Covington already holding Lil Pump in the choke hold and does not show how long the hold had been applied before filming started.
The incident has sparked controversy on social media, with some fans expressing outrage at Covington’s actions. Critics argue that the former UFC interim welterweight champion should not demonstrate potentially dangerous techniques on individuals not trained in mixed martial arts.
Some viewers also criticized the person filming the incident for not intervening.
Others have expressed concern that Covington’s actions could be imitated by impressionable viewers, potentially leading to dangerous situations.
Neither Covington nor Lil Pump have issued official statements regarding the incident as of this report.
