Iaquinta Criticizes UFC for Glorifying Weed
Smokers Over Disciplined Fighters like Merab
Dvalishvili😲„UFC promotes the guy that smokes weed, and all these little kids
are smoking weed and have pink hair. If UFC wanted, they could
change the world.Advertisement
They could go, ‚Look at… pic.twitter.com/6jRrdsbxPk
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA)
June 10, 2025
Al
Iaquinta believes the
UFC can change society by promoting a disciplined fighter like
Merab
Dvalishvili.
Dvalishvili dethroned Sean
O’Malley, who has been marketed to be one of biggest stars of
the sport, at UFC 306 last year. “The Machine” submitted O’Malley
in their rematch at UFC 316
last weekend.
It is no secret that UFC puts its promotional muscle behind
fighters who it believes can be big draws. However, Iaquinta
believes it would serve society better for the UFC to hype up a
fighter like Dvalishvili, who is an epitome of discipline. While
Iaquinta didn’t name O’Malley, he isn’t impressed with kids being
influenced by a fighter “having pink hair” who “smokes weed.”
“Sports change society,” Iaquinta said on Aljamain
Sterling’s YouTube channel. “UFC promotes the guy that smokes
weed, and all these little kids are smoking weed and have pink
hair. If UFC wanted, they could change the freaking world. They
could go, ‚Look at Merab, this guy came from the Republic of
Georgia, he doesn’t drink, he doesn’t smoke, he works hard.‘ How
many kids in the audience have pink hair?… You could change the
world for a better place if you f—-ing get behind this dude.”
O’Malley was a massive advocate of marijuana legaliaation. While
his stance on the drug might still stand, “Suga” quit smoking ahead
of his UFC 316 rematch against Dvalishvili.
Meanwhile, Iaquinta reached his career peak in a bid for the vacant
lightweight title against Khabib
Nurmagomedov in 2018, which he lost. “Raging” rebounded with a
win over Kevin Lee but
dropped three in a row right after. Iaquinta announced his
retirement in 2021 following a knockout loss against Bobby
Green.