UFC fighter Colby Covington called LeBron James a “spineless coward” after his win on Saturday. After beating the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar finally fired back.

Per Ben Golliver, James delivered his response to his critics. Among them, Covington.

“Anybody can talk from outside but if they got into the ring or got into the arena, probably 10 times out of 10, they’d s—- their pants.”

James’ answer is not a clear response to Covington, but he’s seen and dealt with his share of critics throughout his 17-year NBA career. Covington made headlines in his post-game interview after beating Tyron Woodley in the UFC Fight Night main event on Saturday. Covington dedicated his win to the frontliners who are working tirelessly amid the pandemic. However, he also took a shot at several athletes including LeBron James.

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“I want to dedicate this fight to all the first responders, all the military out there. This world would not be safe without you guys, you keep us safe, and not these woke athletes. I’m sick of these spineless cowards like LeBron James”

Covington, who actually got a call from Donald Trump during his post-fight presser, seemed to defend the US President against his critics. As most NBA fans know, James has been one of the most outspoken athletes who have slammed Trump and his antics.

One example is when Trump criticized the NBA for having too many protests, noting that he won’t ever watch games again. James fired back, saying that they won’t miss him at all.

It’s an interesting indirect exchange of words between Covington and James. Will Covington decide to fire back? Or will he stay on his turf this time around?