MMA Twitter is not going to let Colby Covington get away with threatening the life of beloved broadcaster Jon Anik.
There is probably no one in the UFC more universally loved and respected quite like broadcaster Jon Anik. He's smart, respectful, put together and not in the least bit controversial. The same cannot be said for Colby Covington who might just be the polar opposite of Anik.
And even though fans aren't all that surprised when Covington slams his opponents, a recent interview where he threatened Anik really did shock MMA Twitter.
Covington took offense to Anik tweeting that he felt like Belal Muhammad should get the next title shot, not Covington. But instead of just saying it he said he wanted Anik's kids to grow up without a father.
“So, you wanted to lick my frickin’ balls in London, ‘Oh Colby! This, this, this!’” Covington said in a hilarious moment of self censorship during a recent interview on MMA Fighting. “But then you want to go back behind the stage and cheerlead for a racist! So he associates with racism and Belal Muhammad.
“And, you know, Jon Anik, dude, I don’t want your kids to grow up without a dad. Just realize you live in Boca, I live in Miami motherfucker. You’re not too far from me. So you better shut your fucking mouth. You poke the bear? Now you get the bear comes after you.”
When MMA Twitter caught wind of the threats, they stepped up in full force to condemn Covington's threat.
MMA Twitter slams 'trash bag' Colby Covington after threatening to kill Jon Anik
Waking up this morning seeing Colby Covington came after our boy @Jon_Anik... pic.twitter.com/bJA5rPMzAF
— Odds Shark (@OddsShark) March 22, 2023
Colby is on my shit list now. Don't you ever go at my guy @Jon_Anik you trash bag. https://t.co/B0Hva4lgXA
— Bgoist22 (@Bgoist22) March 22, 2023
BREAKING: UFC Welterweight contender Colby “Chaos” Covington has been ARRESTED following his recent threats of Jon Anik pic.twitter.com/AbKdfgiO2y
— Not Legs McFeet - CEO♋️ (@LegsMcfeet) March 22, 2023
I can't believe I have some fkn morons in my TL trying to defend Colby after threatened Jon Anik. The dickriding is crazy.🤦🏽♂️
— UFC Africa (@HoussamNasr2) March 22, 2023
I guarentee @Jon_Anik ain’t sweating Colby for a minute
— Godesanya (@godesanya305) March 22, 2023
Jon Anik responds to Colby
— Add your name (@_DonLu) March 22, 2023
pic.twitter.com/GpCrj2qH5S
Colby deserves punishment for the Jon Anik threats. Send the punisher pic.twitter.com/Zclq4mlApC
— igor🇺🇦 (@ukraniandream) March 22, 2023
Even several fighters stepped up to protect Anik.
😒 the whole hood aka the mma community will jump you Colby if you touch JA every time this guy tries to act tough outside the cage he gets hit with a boomerang 🪃 and punched in the mouth outside of restaurants 😂😂😂
— Terrion Flash Ware 🥋🥊 (@flashmma) March 22, 2023
For clarity @bullyb170 is not racist and is one of the kindest most genuine human beings I know. And @Jon_Anik I’m in SoFlo and on the Miami card. If any unsavory characters in or out of the UFC actually approach you, hit me up and I’ll take out the trash for ya.
— Gerald Meerschaert (@The_Real_GM3) March 22, 2023
Lmao this is the same man who ran from Jorge and then presser charges lol!!! Bro calm down no one believes this shit https://t.co/vScd0mS2Xo
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) March 22, 2023
Muhammad even spoke up in defense of Anik when speaking with MMA Fighting.
“You’re coming at a guy like Jon Anik, who is the nicest guy in the world, and why? Because Jon Anik gave me an interview?” Muhammad said. “You’re calling him a racist. You’re calling him this and you’re threatening a guy like Jon Anik? I told Jon, I texted Jon and I said I can’t wait to come to Miami in two weeks because I’m cornering my teammate Ignacio Bahamondes, and I wish I see Colby there. I wish that he even looks at Jon in a certain way of disrespect. I swear I’m going to walk right up to him and slap him right in his mouth."