"He is real, that's the big difference" - John McCarthy on why he favors Bellator's Danny Sabatello over Colby Covington
John McCarthy is one of the few bridges between Bellator and the UFC. After a long career as a UFC referee, 'Big' has transitioned smoothly into being a Bellator commentator and MMA analyst. As Bellator continues to grow, some fighters have shown similarities to those in the UFC, such as Danny Sabatello and Colby Covington.
Covington is known for two things - outrageously personal trash talk and phenomenal wrestling/cardio. Meanwhile, Bellator has a fighter with similar qualities in Sabatello.
Watch Danny Sabatello go off on the mic during a post-fight media interview below:
Danny Sabatello delivered *ALL* the trash talk after his #Bellator278 win and vowed to run through the grand prix. 🗣️
Full interview: bit.ly/3L9F316 https://t.co/DeTO8ViMQx
'The Italian Gangster' is 2-0 in Bellator and tends to lean on psychological warfare during the buildup to his fights. During a recent appearance on the Weighing In podcast, McCarthy compared the two fighters by saying this:
"I love Danny Sabatello. He is real and that's the big difference. Danny Sabatello has a chip on his shoulder that he feels like people have overlooked him. Past him by and didn't give him the opportunity a la kinda like a Colby Covington."
The MMA world tends to call Covington not real due to his change to an over-aggressive personality halfway through his career. However, Sabatello has always been an outgoing trash talker. While 'Chaos' seems to be slowing down, 'The Italian Gangster' is starting to hit his prime during the Bellator Bantamweight Grand Prix.
Watch John McCarthy compare Danny Sabatello and Colby Covington below:
John McCarthy says Danny Sabatello is "honestly this guy"
The judgment of Covington's real personality has been questioned in the past due to his actions when he thinks the cameras aren't rolling. One example would be the humble approach he takes when talking to fans.
Watch the clip with Colby Covington below:
Watch this clip, Colby genuinely seems like a down to earth humble character. I’d like to see more this side to him. @ColbyCovMMA https://t.co/1VaY0n4nmg
Meanwhile, Sabatello has been consistent with his aggressive personality wherever he goes. During the same segment on Weighing In, McCarthy had this to say:
"It's not Danny Sabatello making something up. He is honestly this guy who says, you know what, you guy's have been f***ing out there doing your thing, and I didn't get that chance"
Although most MMA fans probably don't know who Sabatello is, it's only a matter of time until he earns respect. Holding a record of 12-1, 'The Italian Gangster' trains out of American Top Team. His next fight will be at Bellator 282, where he will look to continue his journey to becoming the Bellator Bantamweight champion.