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Tag: Colby Covington

  • Archives: Ben Askren Says Colby Covington Is A Real-Life Dipsh*t (2020)

    The following article was published on this day two years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    On This Day Two Years Ago…

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 13, 2020, 9:17 PM]

    AUTHOR: FERNANDO QUILES JR.

    HEADLINE: Ben Askren Says Colby Covington Is A Real-Life Dipsh*t

    Ben Askren says shtick or not, Colby Covington is a “dipsh*t.”

    Askren and Covington have traded barbs in the past. Askren may be retired but he still isn’t done firing verbal shots towards “Chaos.” While “Funky” doesn’t deny Covington’s abilities inside the Octagon, he does think the former interim UFC welterweight champion has alienated himself from many.

    Askren Calls Covington A ‘Dipsh*t’ & ‘Terrible Person’

    Jordan Ellis of LowKickMMA.com spoke to Askren, who made it clear that he has no respect for Covington as a person.

    “Well, I think he’s a terrible person. I think that’s pretty well established, kinda anywhere he’s been people can’t stand him. I think that’s now being established at American Top Team and as a fighter. Well he’s pretty good. He almost won a world title. He does a pretty good job at promoting himself. Although, you know, some people think its an act, but it’s not an act. He’s really that much of a dipshit in real life.”

    It’s no secret that Covington’s MAGA shtick has drawn the ire of many. While some believe it’s nothing more than a gimmick, clearly Askren isn’t of that belief. What’s interesting is that Askren also leans right when it comes to politics but he just doesn’t like Covington.

    Covington was last seen in action back in Dec. 2019. He challenged Kamaru Usman for the UFC welterweight championship. The bout was highly contested and earned MMA News’ 2019 Fight of the Year award. Usman ended up winning the fight via fifth-round TKO.

    As for Askren, he retired from the sport of MMA following a submission loss to Demian Maia. Askren wrapped up his pro MMA career having held Bellator and ONE Championship gold. He went 1-2 under the UFC banner.

    Do you think Colby Covington is just playing up his shtick or is he being authentic?

  • Masvidal Shares Aftermath Of Eyepoke From “Cheating F**k” Covington

    Jorge Masvidal suffered quite the eye injury after getting poked by Colby Covington during their grudge match at UFC 272.

    Masvidal and Covington finally got their chance to settle their beef in the Octagon, with Covington earning a unanimous decision win. Outside of a Round 4 knockdown from Masvidal, it was a largely impressive performance from Covington.

    Seconds after the fight ended, Covington and Masvidal nearly brawled more before security personnel separated the two welterweights. During his post-fight press conference, Masvidal also claimed that Covington cheated and intentionally eye-poked him during the fight.

    Just days after their fight, Masvidal is still dealing with the physical consequences of his loss to Covington.

    In a recent tweet, Masvidal sent a message to Covington along with an image of his eye injury.

    “Almost took eyes out but all good u cheating f**k see u soon,” Masvidal said.

    Despite some retirement talks from fans and pundits, Masvidal seems intent on returning to the Octagon later this year. It’s unclear who his next opponent will be, but he seems focused on working his way back to the title picture and a potential rematch with Covington.

    Masvidal and Covington shared quite the buildup to their fight at UFC 272. They held arguably one of the most chaotic pre-fight press conferences in recent memory and went back and forth for months on social media.

    Masvidal seems keen to settle his beef with Covington in the Octagon or on the streets. Masvidal’s eye injury could fuel the fire to their severed relationship for years to come.

    Who do you want Jorge Masvidal to fight next?

  • Colby Covington Will Streetfight Dustin Poirier On One Condition

    UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington has upped the ante on his callout of former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier by adding a stipulation.

    Last weekend, Covington returned to the pay-per-view stage for the second time in four months. Following another failed attempt at dethroning reigning 170-pound king Kamaru Usman, “Chaos” was looking to maintain his #1 spot in the division and hopes of a trilogy with the champ alive against bitter rival and former teammate Jorge Masvidal.

    After 25 minutes of action, dominated by the 34-year-old barring a fourth-round knockdown, Covington was awarded a unanimous decision victory. In his post-fight interview, the former interim welterweight titleholder had one name on his lips, “The Diamond.”

    Covington: Poirier Has To Let The World Watch

    Poirier, another of Covington’s former American Top Team teammates, has been going back and forth with the controversial 170lber for quite some time.

    Having moved past Conor McGregor’s famed trash talk by defeating the Irishman twice in 2021, Poirier might have hoped for a rest from the attacks on his family. Covington has ensured that’s not the case, consistently insulting the Louisianan’s wife and child.

    Following his victory over “Gamebred,” Covington directed his attention away from the Miami native and back to Poirier. Reminding the two-time lightweight title challenger of his “on sight” statement again, “Chaos” pleaded with Poirier to act on his words.

    He also expressed a willingness to meet “The Diamond” in a street fight, providing Poirier lets the world watch. Of course, he couldn’t deliver that callout without a personal insult. This time it came in the form of an insinuation of a sexual relationship between Poirier’s wife and McGregor.

    “Let’s do it, bro. You said it’s on sight, man. Let’s do it, man,” said Covington during his appearance at the post-fight press conference. “Stop talking reckless to the media, man. If I talk to the media and say things, I come out here and I back it up. I’m a man of my words.

    “So we can do it anywhere. We don’t have to do it in the UFC Octagon,” he added. “If he wants to do it in a park or in the street, my only one stipulation is he let the world watch and enjoy themselves, just like he does when Conor’s in bed with his wife.”

    Poirier has previously stated that fans will never see him share the cage with Covington in the UFC. However, he hasn’t shut down Covington’s desired clash outside the promotion. Streetfight, anyone?

    Would you pay to see a streetfight between Colby Covington and Dustin Poirier?

  • Covington Again References Dustin Poirier’s Child In Latest Trash Talk

    Colby Covington is clearly willing to say and do whatever it takes to land a fight against Dustin Poirier despite Poirier’s insistence that the fight won’t happen.

    Colby Covington has been setting his sights on a Dustin Poirier fight for several months now, citing Poirier’s past remarks to fight Covington “on sight” as the primary motivation behind the callouts. Covington hasn’t merely floated the idea of a fight against Poirier; he’s taken extremely personal shots at his former American Top Team teammate in the process.

    Most notably, he has called Poirier’s wife Jolie a “Jezebel” and his daughter Parker a “prop.” In fact, he even went so far as to claim that if Poirier did not accept his challenge, then that would make him, not Poirier, the true father of his child.

    Speaking at the UFC 272 post-fight press conference following his victory over Jorge Masvidal, Covington would once again drag Poirier’s family into their beef, not unlike how he did with Masvidal ahead of their grudge match.

    Colby Covington Makes Wild Remark About Dustin Poirier’s Daughter

    Some have accused Covington of following Conor McGregor’s playbook in talking about Poirier’s wife and thus lacking originality. Coincidentally, Covington himself would invoke McGregor’s name in his latest round of personal shots at Poirier. 

    Now, when challenging Poirier to a fight, the irreverent welterweight stated that it is McGregor, not Poirier, who fathered Parker and later stated that McGregor is having sexual relations with Poirier’s wife.

    “So I figure I’ll get another tune-up fight with Dustin Poirier, who said it’s on sight,” Covington began. “He weighs more than me. He’s just a bully who cuts a lot of weight. I don’t cut any weight because I know I’m the best in the world and I don’t need to have a weight advantage over anybody. So Dustin, name the site, bring that Jezebel of a wife and bring Conor’s little kid Parker.”

    Colby Covington
    Colby Covington, Getty Images

    Though Covington’s comments are as baseless as they are tasteless, the reasoning behind them is likely in reference to Jolie allegedly sending McGregor a direct message request prior to UFC 264. McGregor made frequent references to the DM request before and after his trilogy against Poirier, notoriously taunting his rival and his wife with venom.

    Now, Covington isn’t just arguably stealing a page out of McGregor’s playbook but is now including the Irishman in his own when continuing to make crude and inflammatory remarks about Poirier’s family.

    Poirier has stated that he will never fight Colby Covington in the UFC. One likely reason for this is that he does not want to reward Covington and his vile remarks with a payday. Still, as evident by these latest remarks, Covington will insist on continuing to up the ante on his trash talk until Poirier joins him and the UFC brass at the negotiating table.

    Are these the most objectionable remarks publicly uttered by Colby Covington about another fighter?

  • Usman Reveals What Covington Must Do To Secure A 3rd Title Shot

    UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman has revealed what longtime rival Colby Covington has to do in order to earn a third shot at his gold.

    Covington is widely considered to be the clear second-best 170lber in the UFC. He cemented that claim at UFC 272 last weekend, where he defeated former teammate Jorge Masvidal in the main event.

    Securing bragging rights after a heated build-up, “Chaos” walked away with a unanimous decision victory over his former ATT teammate. In doing so, he maintained the #1 spot in the rankings and moved closer towards a third clash with the champion.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca2s6lCOYmq/

    Unfortunately for Covington, he’s already fallen short of dethroning Kamaru Usman on two occasions. After being finished in the fifth round at UFC 245 in 2019, the former interim titleholder suffered a second loss to “The Nigerian Nightmare” at UFC 268 last November.

    But despite being outfought twice by the champ, many expect the pair to share the cage for a third time down the line. And Usman has now outlined a potential path for Covington to take in order to secure the trilogy.

    Usman Tells Covington To “Sell Yourself”

    During a recent interview with ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto, Usman, who was in attendance in Las Vegas for Covington’s rebound victory on March 5, dropped the names of some contenders “Chaos” must fight to stake his claim for yet another opportunity at snatching the belt.

    The welterweight king also encouraged his rival to ‘sell himself’ and ensure he can’t be leapfrogged or overlooked.

    “Colby’s doing the right thing right now. He’s selling himself. You’ve gotta sell yourself, and you actually have to go out there and deliver, and fight,” said Usman. “Right now, it (a trilogy fight) doesn’t make sense. Go out there and sell yourself. There’s a couple more fights you need to take on. You haven’t fought Gilbert Burns. You haven’t fought Vicente Luque. You haven’t fought (Khamzat) Chimaev. So, yeah, go out there and get a couple of wins. And then continue to sell yourself, and then you can stake that claim to where people won’t deny you anymore.

    “You’ve got Muhammad; Belal Muhammad is there as well,” Usman continued. “Beat a couple more guys. Shut those contenders down, because right now, somebody can leapfrog you. You shut them all down, like Francis Ngannou did, then there’ll be no talk about it. We’d have to fight for the third time.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CWnrtPUgfRg/

    Judging by Covington’s post-fight interview, it seems the 34-year-old may have other ideas. Rather than fellow welterweight contenders, the name on Covington’s lips was Dustin Poirier, another of his former ATT teammates.

    While it perhaps wouldn’t aid his desire to secure a trilogy with Usman, a clash with “The Diamond” would certainly draw eyes and attention, something Covington tends to heavily pursue.

    Who would you like to see Colby Covington face next?

  • Covington Uses Masvidal’s “Headline” Against Him In Post-Fight Gloat

    UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington isn’t afraid to rub it in against Jorge Masvidal after their grudge match at UFC 272.

    Covington used his superior wrestling combined with his activity on the feet to defeat Masvidal at UFC 272. Except for a few brief moments from Masvidal, Covington was able to out-work and out-pace Masvidal over five rounds of action.

    Covington and Masvidal shared quite the heated buildup to their fight. The former American Top Team teammates and friends turned bitter rivals got personal with their pre-fight trash talk.

    The pre-fight banter included a post-fight headline prediction that Masvidal made leading up to the event. He predicted that Covington would be in “critical condition, might not fully make it” after squaring off in the Octagon.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Cafm-xCp2QF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    After getting the better of Masvidal at UFC 272, Covington took to Instagram to throw Masvidal’s earlier ‘headline’ back at him.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca0zYNLO7Ho/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    “Street Judas’ career in critical condition, might not make it,” Covington said in a post.

    Jorge Masvidal Squashes Retirement Talk Following Loss To Colby Covington

    As Covington alluded to, some fans opined that it may be time for Masvidal to begin to think about retiring from MMA altogether after his third-straight defeat. But in a recent Instagram post, he squashed the notion that he’s done competing inside the Octagon.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Caykk3OuAYF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    “I will be back far from over!” Masvidal said.

    Before the loss to Covington, Masvidal had lost back-to-back welterweight title shots against Kamaru Usman. His second matchup with Usman resulted in a vicious knockout defeat.

    Masvidal is hoping to work his way back to the welterweight title picture and another potential fight with Covington down the line. He’ll look to earn his first win since 2019 later this year.

    Who do you want to see Colby Covington fight next?

  • White Thinks Covington Violated “Man Code” With Pre-UFC 272 Trash Talk

    UFC President Dana White believes welterweight contender Colby Covington violated “man code” with his pre-fight trash talk leading up to UFC 272.

    This past weekend, Covington bounced back from his second loss to reigning 170-pound champion Kamaru Usman in a fairly similar fashion to how he did the first time—a dominant main event victory.

    While 2020 saw him do so in a fight night headliner with Tyron Woodley, Saturday’s event saw him take his bitter rivalry with former teammate and friend Jorge Masvidal to the Octagon on the pay-per-view stage.

    Across 25 minutes, “Chaos” implemented a grueling game plan that saw him tire out “Gamebred” with constant takedown attempts and an imposing wrestling game.

    Following the win, Covington brought his usual antics to the microphone to call out another of his former teammates, Dustin Poirier.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CawKBwqs5yk/

    With that callout, the event ended with the same trash-talking tone that had been evident all week.

    While Covington’s random attacks on Brazil and the relatives of former opponent Usman showed he’s capable of creating controversy no matter the scenario, it was clear the build-up to UFC 272 would be more intense given the former interim champ’s history with Masvidal.

    The lead-up to March 5 saw Covington make comments referring to Masvidal’s ex-wife and kids, something “Gamebred” criticized during a sit-down interview with Michael Bisping for BT Sport during fight week.

    “He’s a coward. It just shows his character,” said Masvidal. “And then he’ll sit there after a fight and try and shake a hand, and tell them, ‘The UFC was gonna cut me so I had to talk about Brazil, I had to talk about your wife to drive up the pay-per-views,’ when in current history, (he’s had) some of the worst pay-per-view selling, period. He doesn’t sell pay-per-views.

    “I’m happy to stick it to him in that regard, and show for the future generations to see that like, you don’t have to talk about people’s wives, religion, and kids to sell pay-per-views,” Masvidal added. “This is the only way people talk about him. You hardly ever hear people talking about Colby’s performance.”

    While some love and cheer Covington’s persona on, Masvidal certainly isn’t alone in his assessment of the #1-ranked welterweight’s comments.

    White Agrees With Masvidal’s Criticism

    Having been a key figure at the top of the UFC tree since 2001, Dana White has seen his fair share of trash talk, controversial moments, and polarizing fighters. Despite that, even he thinks Covington often crosses the line.

    During the UFC 272 post-fight press conference, the UFC president was asked whether he agrees, like Masvidal, that family is off-limits when it comes to pre-fight back and forth.

    White responded by sharing the same sentiment as “Gamebred” did last week, suggesting Covington’s words had violated “man code.”

    “I agree with that, too,” said White. “It’s called man code. You either have it or you don’t.”

    It’s safe to say that no matter the opinion of many in the fanbase, Covington won’t be changing up his mindset anytime soon. That will especially be the case should he face long-time rival Poirier next.

    While “The Diamond” has previously suggested the bout will never come to fruition, “Chaos” is clearly not giving up hope.

    Do you agree with Dana White and Jorge Masvidal? Does some of Colby Covington’s trash talk cross the line?

  • Jorge Masvidal Is “Surprised” He Didn’t Pounce On Covington In Round 4

    Jorge Masvidal feels he missed a big opportunity to turn the tide in his grudge match against Colby Covington at UFC 272.

    Masvidal fell via a unanimous decision to his former friend turned rival Covington. It was a war that lived up to the hype, but Covington got the better of a majority of the exchanges on the feet and ground.

    Masvidal nearly rallied in Round 4 after landing a massive right hook to Covington’s chin midway through the round. The punch dropped Covington immediately, and he appeared badly wobbled by the blow.

    However, instead of pushing forward with pressure and attempting to finish the fight, Masvidal appeared hesitant to pull the trigger and follow up the big punch.

    During his UFC 272 post-fight press conference, Masvidal talked about that moment and his regrets about not capitalizing on the opportunity.

    “Shit, and then I didn’t pounce on him after I dropped him,” Masvidal lamented. “I wasn’t surprised that he bounced up. I was surprised that I didn’t go and take his head off. I thought he was gonna shoot immediately on me, so I just (was) thinking of the wrong shit instead of just go and take his head off. I was tired; he was tired and hurt.

    “That was my chance right there. That was that window of five, six seconds to give it all I got, and make a sprint, and make a big change. Maybe I could’ve made that round 10-8, 10-7, who knows? But I didn’t take that opening.”

    Masvidal has now lost three fights in a row, including back-to-back defeats to welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. His last win came against Nate Diaz in their BMF title matchup at UFC 244.

    Masvidal signed a new deal with the UFC leading up to the fight with Covington and remains one of the promotion’s biggest stars. But he’ll need to get back in the win column in his next UFC outing to potentially earn a rematch against Covington down the line.

    What were your thoughts on Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal?

  • Colby Covington Demands To Be Paid More Than Jorge Masvidal Now

    Colby Covington wants to get paid more than his rival Jorge Masvidal following their grudge match at UFC 272.

    Covington put on arguably one of the best performances of his career against Masvidal in the main event. He outstruck Masvidal on the feet statistically and smothered him on the ground to control the fight and earn a unanimous decision victory.

    Before the grudge match, Masvidal and the UFC came to terms on a new deal that made him among the highest-paid fighters in the promotion. Now, Covington wants a bigger piece of the pie following his recent performances inside the Octagon.

    During his UFC 272 post-fight press conference, Covington stated that he feels he deserves more money from the promotion after his dominant win over Masvidal

    “I’d love it, I think I deserve it,” Covington said. “Jorge just signed his contract right before the right because he knew he was going to get his ass whooped. He wasn’t going to have any leverage or power to negotiate after I whoop his ass on Monday morning, so I want to be paid more than Jorge Masvidal now. He likes to rub that in this face that ‘oh I make more money, and this and that’. First off, no he doesn’t because he pays half of it to Maritza his ex-wife. So he doesn’t make more money than me. But secondly, I need to make more money than Jorge. He’s a flash in the pan, two-pump chump like his ex-wife Maritza said.

    Colby Covington
    Colby Covington

    “He’s 37 years old, I just turned 34 years old just before this fight. I’m in my prime, getting better every single day, and you haven’t seen the best of me. So I still got a long career ahead of me.”

    Covington called out another former American Top Team teammate, Dustin Poirier following his win over Masvidal. Poirier has said in the past that he intends to move up to 170 pounds for his next fights, but it’s unclear if that’ll come to fruition.

    Covington is expecting to return to the cage later this year and wants to be paid adequately for his efforts. This could potentially set up negotiations on a new deal between Covington and the UFC as soon as this week.

    Who do you want to see Colby Covington fight next?

  • Masvidal Remains Eager To Finish Covington Beef On The Streets

    The beef between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington is not over just yet.

    On Saturday night, Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington faced off in the main event of UFC 272. This bout could have ended their ongoing feud once and for all, but it seems it has not.

    Covington came away with the victory by unanimous decision and could have made a case for the next title shot along the way. In the lead-up to the bout, both men were engaged in trash talk and taking personal shots at one another.

    Masvidal and Covington used to be friends and training partners. This closeness allowed for more personal insults to be thrown both ways. Covington took it a step further and mentioned Masvidal’s family in some of his trash talk. This kind of thing is not so easily forgotten by Masvidal.

    “Like I said, none of it is personal, but it just sucks because this idiot talked about my kids, you know?” he said during the UFC 272 post-fight press conference. “He’s still somebody, if I see him out on the streets, I’m gonna give him everything I got to break his fuckin’ jaw. It doesn’t matter if I lost wrestling scrambles tonight. I still think he’s a fuckin’ pussy.”

    This is not the first time Masvidal has threatened violence against Covington on the street. Prior to UFC 272, Masvidal told a story of wanting to brawl with Covington outside of a sushi restaurant. Covington has also stated in the past that he would dump Masvidal on his head if the two crossed paths on the streets of Miami.

    Instead, the two fought inside the Octagon last Saturday. This grudge match was an interesting one to fans, so much so that it warranted a non-title fight main event, which is rare for a PPV.

    Fans were invested in the friendship turned heated feud being settled. However, judging from Masvidal’s comments, their beef is still going strong and may still spill onto the streets.

    Would you be interested in a rematch between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington with or without the title on the line?

  • Stephen A. Smith Rips Jorge Masvidal For Post-UFC 272 Comments

    Stephen A. Smith is not buying what UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal is selling following his loss to Colby Covington.

    Covington defeated Masvidal via unanimous decision in their welterweight grudge match after months of back-and-forth banter. Covington dominated with his wrestling and also out-landed Masvidal with his standup.

    After the fight, Masvidal claimed that he was “flat” with his wrestling, which he feels was a major reason for the loss. Covington has always been known to be a wrestler by nature but has also shown improved standup over time.

    During a recent segment of ESPN’s First Take, Smith gave his thoughts on Masvidal’s approach to the fight with Covington and his post-fight comments.

    “I’m a huge, huge Masvidal fan,” Smith prefaced. “I think he’s great for the sport because he’s got knockout power in both punches, he can obviously use that knee very well and he has improved his wrestling. But Colby Covington showed that he’s on a different level from a wrestling standpoint, and from a stamina standpoint.

    Masvidal reflects on UFC 272 loss to Covington: 'The b—ch can wrestle' - MMAmania.com
    Image Credit: David Becker/Getty Images

    “One of the things that I paid attention to coming into this fight is something that Colby Covington said. Because he knew him and they were former best friends and roommates turned enemies, Covington said, ‘Masvidal trains for his fights; I live this.’ What he was talking about is he is always in shape. He’s never out of shape. He’s renowned for his condition and the pressure he’s able to apply and how he never lets up because he keeps on coming.”

    Smith went on to point out how fatigued Masvidal looked as the fight came to a close.

    “I saw Masvidal gutsy and survive the five rounds, but while he was waving Covington on to come on, ‘Let’s get some more.’ He was literally using two security personnel to lean on because that’s how exhausted he was. Covington looked like he was just starting. He was that energized. The guy is in phenomenal shape, he’s an outstanding wrestler and Masvidal admitted that his wrestling was flat.

    “How was it flat coming into this fight knowing this guy as well as you know him and knowing what he was going to try to do to you, and how much you supposedly hate him? How you were not ready for a wrestling match, I don’t understand. It’s inexplicable.” (h/t MMA Junkie)

    Masvidal has now lost three straight bouts and hasn’t won since his BMF title victory over Nate Diaz at UFC 244. He’s anticipating a return later this year to work his way towards a potential rematch against Covington down the line.

    Smith has had a complicated relationship with the MMA community. In addition to his criticisms of Masvidal, he also came under fire after attacking Donald Cerrone on the ESPN post-fight show for his quick loss to Conor McGregor.

    What are your thoughts on how Jorge Masvidal vs. Colby Covington played out?

  • Masvidal & Covington Reveal Trash Talk Exchanged During Fight

    UFC welterweights Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal have revealed the words they shared inside the Octagon during their main event fight at UFC 272 this past weekend.

    After months of heated back and forth, insults, historical stories, and rising animosity, Covington and Masvidal settled their score inside the cage on Saturday night. The former friends, ATT teammates, and roommates possessed a rivalry worthy of a pay-per-view headliner, even without the presence of a title on the line.

    In the end, it was “Chaos” who had the last laugh. With his imposing wrestling game, the former interim champion secured a comfortable unanimous decision and, in doing so, moved closer to making a trilogy with reigning champion Kamaru Usman a reality.

    But while it appeared the time for talking was over on Saturday night, both Covington and Masvidal have revealed things were far from quiet inside the cage.

    Covington & Masvidal Exchanged “Bitch” Jibes

    During their respective appearances at the UFC 272 post-fight press conference, the two headliners revealed the trash talk that went on during the fight. For Masvidal, the words reflected his leading pre-fight sentiment: Covington’s a “bitch.”

    “Me just telling him, ‘You’re still a bitch.’ Shit like that… I don’t even know what he said, bro. But I know I just told him, ‘You’re a bitch. I’ll get you eventually.’”

    Also bringing his own trademark insults to the forefront inside the Octagon, Covington revealed he reminded “Gamebred” who his “daddy” is inside the T-Mobile Arena.

    “I was telling him, ‘Yeah, I’m still your daddy. You know who your daddy is. I’m the king of Miami, so take this ass-whoopin’ like the little bitch. I’m glad you came out and took this ass whoopin.’”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Caykk3OuAYF/

    While Covington’s previous heated rivalry ended in a show of respect at UFC 268 last November, his feud with Masvidal certainly didn’t boast the same pleasantries following 25 minutes of action.

    As the pair head in opposite trajectories in the welterweight division, their animosity will seemingly return to trash talk and social media exchanges. But after UFC 272, “Chaos” has the added ammunition of a victory inside the Octagon.

    What is next for Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington in the UFC?

  • Jorge Masvidal & Colby Covington React To Drake’s $275K Losing Bet

    The UFC 272 headliners have both reacted to Drake’s whopping loss of $275,000 by betting on Jorge Masvidal to defeat Colby Covington.

    After The Toronto Raptors won the 2019 NBA championship, it appeared “The Drake Curse” had been lifted. Drake was now free to publicly back athletes without them having to fend off the dreaded curse in addition to competing against their opponents.

    However, “The Drake Curse” was back at it again after Drake put up $275,000 for Jorge Masvidal to beat Colby Covington in the main event of UFC 272. Masvidal would go on to lose to Covington via unanimous decision while Drake lost a staggering sum of money.

    Masvidal learned about Drake’s $275K loss and evidently felt bad for his role in it. So “Gamebred” has extended an invitation to Drake to have a dinner on him the next time he’s in Miami.

    “Next time you in Miami dinner on me @Drake,” Masvidal posted on Twitter.

    If such a dinner is meant to compensate for $275,000 worth of money, then Masvidal will need to have Drake assume the role of Nicki Minaj in a viral video clip where the Canadian rapper insisted that Minaj could have anything she wants on a convenience-store shopping spree.

    This time, it is Drake who has the opportunity to splurge on someone else’s budget for once. That budget has become much fatter after Masvidal signed a new deal with the UFC to reportedly become the third highest-paid athlete in UFC history.

    Another UFC star who once promised to pay back a backer who lost money betting on him is Nate Diaz, who said he’d pay back a fan who allegedly lost his rent money betting on Diaz. Coincidentally, the fight in question also involved Masvidal in the UFC 244 BMF title fight in 2019 that saw Masvidal defeat Diaz via doctor’s stoppage.

    Colby Covington Roasts Drake For Epic Loss

    Colby Covington
    Colby Covington

    While Masvidal is hoping to treat Drake to a Miami dinner with the works, the man responsible for the loss, Colby Covington, is only hosting a roast.

    When asked at the UFC 272 post-fight press conference if he respects Masvidal as a competitor after their fierce battle, Covington instead shifted gears to Drake’s failed bet.

    “Let’s talk about all the money that Drake lost tonight,” Covington began. “He needs to go back to selling those shitty albums to get back the money. He should’ve went to America’s Pick of The Week by MyBookie. I tried to give the people the pick of the week. I’m America’s champ, and I was America’s pick of the week.

    “Drake, you suck at sports betting. Go back to your shitty little albums of rapping.”

    Drake Stays Silent as Anger Grows Over Astroworld Concert Mayhem
    Drake

    Drake’s most recent album, Certified Lover Boy, was released last September and has broken multiple records. Drake also has sold over 170 million albums and is frequently and currently the #1 most streamed music artist on Spotify. The Canadian rapper was also named Billboard Music Awards’ Artist of the Decade.

    Nevertheless, Colby Covington is evidently not impressed with Drake’s catalog nor his sports-betting acumen. And as the self-proclaimed “King of Miami,” should Drake arrive in The Magic City to take Masvidal up on his offer, Covington might not be so hospitable should he cross paths with “The 6 God.”

    What are your thoughts on Jorge Masvidal’s and Colby Covington’s reactions to Drake’s $275,000 losing bet?

  • Archives: Covington Details UFC 235 Run-In With ‘B*tch’ Nate Diaz (2019)

    The following article featuring UFC 272 headliner Colby Covington was published on this day three years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    On This Day Three Years Ago…

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 6, 2019, 9:22 AM]

    Colby Covington wasn’t even competing at UFC 235 over the weekend but was still one of the event’s biggest stories. “Chaos” had confrontations with the likes of UFC President Dana White, Kamau Usman, NFL star Todd Gurley, and more. However, it sounds like he also had a brief run-in with UFC mega-star Nate Diaz.

    Speaking to “The Ariel Helwani MMA Show”, Covington said the Stockton native flipped him the bird while passing by cageside (via MMA Mania):

    “Our skill level is way apart from each other. He’s a bottom feeder,” said Covington. “It was funny because he walked by me and he said, ‘F*ck you Colby.’ And he flipped me off when I was sitting front row and he walked by cageside. It’s just funny. keep that energy Nate. If you’re so tough, let’s see it inside the cage, b*tch.”

    Diaz hasn’t fought since his 2016 rematch with Conor McGregor at UFC 202. He was briefly scheduled to fight Dustin Poirier at UFC 230, but an injury to “The Diamond” forced that fight off. Now, Diaz’s return to the Octagon remains up in the air.

    After Usman was crowned the new king of the UFC’s welterweight division, Covington is expected to get the next crack at the title. A key reason for Covington’s ruckus all weekend was his lobbying for a title opportunity. It looks like all the self-promotion finally paid off.

    What do you think about Covington’s comments regarding his run-in with Diaz?

  • Dustin Poirier Responds To Colby Covington’s Post-Fight Callout

    Former UFC interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier hit back at Colby Covington on social media following Covington’s UFC 272 callout.

    Covington defeated Jorge Masvidal in a back-and-forth war in the UFC 272 headliner. After earning a mostly-dominant win over Masvidal, Covington used his post-fight interview to call out another former American Top Team teammate in Poirier.

    Covington and Poirier have had their fair share of fallout since Covington split with ATT. Covington has taken shots at Poirier’s wife and daughter, giving them both unflattering labels. He’s also mocked Poirier following his loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 and also claimed that he made Poirier leave ATT in tears following their training sessions together.

    After getting word of Covington’s UFC 272 callout, Poirier took to social media to respond.

    “Bombaclot!” Poirier tweeted shortly after the callout.

    The term ‘Bumbaclot’ is Jamaican slang for “d**chebag” or “motherf**ker”. Poirier is clearly not a fan of Covington’s antics, especially after downplaying the idea of facing him in the Octagon.

    Poirier then went on to question why Covington would call him out instead of calling out another top UFC welterweight.

    https://twitter.com/DustinPoirier/status/1500364396903682050?s=20&t=Zy2ntaPnxhl5bmPdvkPoyQ

    “Maybez fight a welterweight contender?”

    Poirier has previously hinted at a move to welterweight in 2022 to fight Nate Diaz. The fight is still in consideration for later this year, and it’s unclear if Poirier will move to 170 pounds full-time.

    As for Covington, he’s looking to potentially earn a third fight with welterweight champion Kamaru Usman down the line. A win over another top UFC star like Poirier could give him that opportunity.

    Do you want to see Dustin Poirier vs Colby Covington next?

  • Colby Covington & Joe Rogan Show Strong Support For Cain Velasquez

    You can add Colby Covington and Joe Rogan to the list of names showing their support for Cain Velasquez after his arrest for attempted murder last week.

    Last week, Cain Velasquez was charged with attempted murder as well as charges of assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a firearm, shooting at a motor vehicle, and willfully discharging a firearm from a vehicle after he attempted to shoot a man who allegedly molested a relative.

    As Velasquez fired rounds at the vehicle carrying his target, Harry Eugene Goularte, he instead shot the man’s stepfather, who is hospitalized but is expected to survive.

    When the reason for Velasquez’s alleged attempt at Goularte’s life was revealed, many in the MMA community voiced their support for the former UFC champion. This includes fighters past and present, such as Israel Adesanya, Derek Brunson, and WMMA pioneer Ronda Rousey.

    During a recent installment of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Rogan also spoke up in defense of Velasquez, even describing what he wished the heavyweight legend had done to Goularte instead of shooting at him. (h/t MMA Junkie)

    “I mean, my only wish is that he did it with his hands,” Rogan said. “My only wish is that he just ran the car off the road, pulled that guy out of the f*cking car, and beat him to death. F*ck you.”

    Colby Covington: ‘Free Cain Velasquez’

    cain velasquez mugshot
    Cain Velasquez Mugshot

    During the UFC 272 ceremonial weigh-ins and again after his victory over Jorge Masvidal at the pay-per-view, Colby Covington told Joe Rogan how happy he was to see him back to work in the UFC after his recent controversies. By all appearances, that made Covington and Rogan both, as the longtime UFC commentator didn’t miss a beat when back on the job.

    Speaking at the UFC 272 post-fight press conference, Covington also was on the same page with Rogan on the matter of Cain Velasquez.

    Covington has been very vocal in his support for law enforcement and calling people, namely Jorge Masvidal, “criminals.” However, when it comes to Velasquez, it appears the former interim UFC welterweight champion believes this is a special case.

    “Let’s talk about Cain Velasquez. Free Cain. What he did, a lot of people wouldn’t have done the same thing, but I respect the shit out of him,” Covington said. “I mean, having your kid be molested, I mean, we talk about that all the time, like we would do that. But he was in that same situation and he actually did it. So free Cain, Cain Velasquez, much respect and love, and I hope you get out soon.”

    Reports have not confirmed that the alleged victim was Velasquez’s child. Due to the fact that the alleged victim is a minor, her identity is being withheld. \

    Despite Covington’s wishes, Velasquez remains held without bail at Santa Clara County Main Jail. If convicted on the charges, he faces 20 years to life in prison.

    Velasquez is set to be arraigned next week, and MMA News will bring you all the latest on that developing story.

    Do you agree with Colby Covington’s and Joe Rogan’s support for Cain Velasquez?

  • Fighters React To Covington Defeating Masvidal At UFC 272

    Colby Covington got the last word in his grudge match against Jorge Masvidal in the main event of UFC 272.

    After two years of trash talk and beef, Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal finally settled their rivalry at UFC 272 inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Covington emerged from the war victorious after a hard-fought five rounds that saw him mostly use his wrestling to get the better of his ex-teammate, but he also had some moments on the feet.

    You can catch the highlights from the main event below.

    If you placed money on a touch of gloves, that wasn’t a wise bet.

    Here’s a look at some of Covington’s wrestling skills that were on display.

    Masvidal nearly stole the fight in the fourth round with this big moment:

    No hugging it out after this one.

    Colby Covington calls out Dustin Poirier.

    Now, let’s see how fighters reacted to the UFC 272 main event.

    https://twitter.com/Actionman513/status/1500347352204275712

    UFC 272: Covington vs. Masvidal Results & Highlights

    MMA News is providing ongoing coverage of UFC 272. We’ve got you covered with live results, video highlights, and post-fight tidbits.

  • EXCLUSIVE | ATT Fighter Johnny Eblen Talks Masvidal/Covington Beef

    Bellator middleweight and American Top Team fighter Johnny Eblen gave MMA News the inside scoop regarding Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington.

    Eblen is set to face former Bellator title challenger John Salter at Bellator 276 next weekend. He’s spent plenty of time around Covington and Masvidal at ATT and knows their story from the inside out.

    Masvidal and Covington will square off in the UFC 272 headliner this weekend. It is one of the most highly-anticipated fights in recent memory and one of the biggest non-title grudge matches in UFC history.

    Eblen was a teammate of Covington before Covington’s split from the gym. He continues to work with Masvidal at ATT as one of his main sparring partners.

    During an exclusive interview with MMA News, Eblen gave his thoughts on the matchup between Covington and Masvidal.

    “I think Jorge is going to put it on the motherf**ker, to be honest,” Eblen said of Masvidal. “I sparred a lot with that dude this camp, he’s on point and I can’t wait to watch him break his jaw. And I can’t wait to watch it on national television.”

    Johnny Eblen Explains The Difference Between Jorge Masvidal And Colby Covington

    Eblen went on to detail his personal experience with Covington at ATT and why he’s glad he’s still a teammate of Masvidal.

    “When I kinda came into the gym, he was just transitioning into that whole gimmick thing, and he was kinda doing it at the gym as well,” Eblen said of Covington. “I never really got close to him, never really trained with him too much. There were some instances where I trained with him, but outside of that didn’t get close to him. I don’t know, he just seems like a clown to me now. I’m definitely on the side of Jorge. Jorge is my homie and I’ve been training with that dude since I’ve been at the gym and I kind of gravitated closer to him instead of Colby, and I’m glad I did.”

    While Covington and Masvidal have had their fair share of verbal banter leading up to the fight, Eblen says their intentions are completely different.

    “He’s more respectful to people,” Eblen said of Masvidal. “He doesn’t talk s**t to talk s**t. When he’s talking s**t, there’s a reason for it. You’re on his bad side. Colby’s talking s**t to get likes and to be relevant. He was calling out teammates and s**t, which is a big no-no. Causing tension at the gym that wasn’t supposed to be there.”

    The storyline of Masvidal and Covington’s friendship and time together at ATT has been well documented. Eblen and the rest of ATT don’t plan on burying the hatchet with Covington anytime soon, regardless of what happens at UFC 272.

    What are your thoughts on our Johnny Eblen interview about Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington?

  • Adesanya On Potential Covington Fight: “Who The F**k Are You?”

    UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya is open to the idea of a Colby Covington fight, but Covington has some work to do first.

    Adesanya is fresh off his title rematch win over Robert Whittaker at UFC 271. He’s more than likely set to face Jared Cannonier next later this year after Cannonier knocked out Derek Brunson earlier on that same card.

    Covington is set to face Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272 but has already discussed his future plans. He’s teased a potential matchup with Adesanya at middleweight happening sometime over his next few fights.

    UFC President Dana White has shut down the idea of Covington getting an immediate title shot and listed what he needs to do to get a fight against Adesanya.

    During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Adesanya responded to Covington’s desires for a middleweight title shot against him.

    “Everyone always has the idea until they’re across the cage from me, and then it’s a different beast,” Adesanya said. “Ala Paulo Costa, or anyone else I’ve fought. I’d say just fight someone else. You can’t just come straight for the champ. Who the f**k are you? Are you dumb? Call someone else out. It would be a selling point, definitely. Big mouth. I can shut that s**t up.”

    Adesanya and the interviewer went on to allude that Covington is really a 155 pounder fighting at 170.

    Covington has had a long-standing rivalry with Adesanya’s close friend, Kamaru Usman. Covington fell to Usman at UFC 268 in their rematch via a unanimous decision.

    While a Covington vs. Adesanya fight may not be out of the question going forward, it appears that Covington has a few things to do first before a middleweight title shot.

    Do you want to see Israel Adesanya vs. Colby Covington?

  • Covington Takes One Last Personal Shot At Masvidal & ATT Pre-UFC 272

    UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington wanted to get a final message across to Jorge Masvidal before their grudge match at UFC 272.

    After months and years of brewing tensions between Covington and Masvidal, they’ll finally get the opportunity to prove themselves in the Octagon in the UFC 272 headliner. The former friends turned rivals have engaged in quite the mental warfare over time, especially during fight week.

    A chaotic UFC 272 pre-fight press conference was followed up by an intense staredown at the ceremonial weigh-ins. Covington and Masvidal came face to face one last time before their highly-anticipated matchup.

    An excess of security personnel and UFC President Dana White separated the two sides from engaging in a physical altercation, but the battle continued shortly after their faceoff. Covington has been on Masvidal’s nerves, invoking Masvidal’s personal life and his ex-wife.

    Just hours before his fight with Masvidal, Covington took an opportunity to take a final shot at his UFC 272 opponent along with his former coach Mike Brown.

    “Hey [Jorge Masvidal] you looked real nervous bud…” Covington said. “Maybe you should try that juiced up little drug addict Mike Browns favorite trick to take the edge off and fight on some GHB. Yeah I said GHB, but Brown did HGH too because he’s a nut less b**ch just like you.”

    Brown is one of Masvidal’s main coaches and is arguably the closest to the welterweight star. Covington accused Brown of being a drug addict at the pre-fight press conference and doubled down on his stance in this most recent tweet.

    Covington and Masvidal used to be teammates and friends at American Top Team in Florida. This was before the amicable relations between the two shattered following an alleged failed payout to a coach by Covington and a series of near-brawls at the gym.

    Brown recently confirmed Covington’s leaked information regarding Masvidal’s injury that forced him to withdraw from UFC 269. He was supposed to face Leon Edwards, another bitter rival of his.

    Masvidal has also recently shared a near-brawl that took place between him and Covington at a Miami-area sushi restaurant as their friendship deteriorated. After inviting Covington for a meal, and possibly a fight, Covington failed to show up.

    This is much more than a grudge match, as former strawweight champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk has alluded. This is a matchup between two of the biggest stars in recent UFC history and Covington and Masvidal will look to put on a show at UFC 272.

    What is your prediction for Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal?

  • UFC 272: Covington vs. Masvidal Preview, Betting Odds, & Final Face-Offs

    The UFC 272 Ceremonial Weigh-Ins have wrapped up, and we have the full preview for tomorrow night’s action-packed pay-per-view below!

    Tomorrow night, UFC 272 comes at you live on pay-per-view from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The early preliminary card will begin at 6:00 PM, followed by the ESPN/ESPN+ preliminary card at 8:00 PM, and the pay-per-view starts at 10:00 PM ET.

    Three of our staff members have provided their picks and breakdowns for the main card, and the official weigh-ins were conducted earlier today, with every fighter making weight.

    The main event tomorrow night will feature Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal finally settling their rivalry for the world to see. You can catch up on our Colby Covington archives right here and the Jorge Masvidal archives here to get up to speed on all the dirt dished out ahead of tomorrow’s showdown.

    The co-main event will feature Rafael dos Anjos taking on Renato Moicano on short notice. If you missed all the drama leading up to this replacement bout being set, you can get up to speed on our RDA archives here.

    Additionally, Bryce Mitchell will take part in the biggest fight of his career when he goes up against elite striker and tested veteran Edson Barboza. Mitchell’s pre-fight rhetoric in many ways overshadowed the intrigue of such a great contest. If you missed all the hoopla surrounding Mitchell’s political views and some of the public reaction to them, you’ll want to do some reading up on our Bryce Mitchell archives here.

    Also, aside from the main event, there is another ex-teammate grudge match that may be flying under the radar, that between Mariya Agapova and Maryna Moroz. You can get caught up on the intense background story between these former teammates right here.

    For a look into every fight on tomorrow’s UFC 272 card, you can check out the UFC’s official fight-by-fight preview right here.

    Below, you can peep the full card tomorrow through every final faceoff, along with the current betting odds for each fight via 5Dimes.

    Dustin Jacoby (-190) vs Michael Oleksiejczuk (+175)

    Devonte Smith (-142) vs Ludovit Klein (+132)

    Tim Elliott (+190) vs Tagir Ulanbekov (-210)

    Brian Kelleher (+635) vs Umar Nurmagomedov (-800)

    Maryna Moroz (+164) vs Mariya Agapova (-174)

    Nicolae Negumereanu (+127) vs Kennedy Nzechukwu (-137)

    Marina Rodriguez (-250) vs Yan Xiaonan (+230)

    Jalin Turner (-145) vs Jamie Mullarkey (+135)

    Sergey Spivak (-178) vs. Greg Hardy (+167)

    Kevin Holland (-325) vs. Alex Oliveira (+295)

    Edson Barboza (+137) vs. Bryce Mitchell (-147)

    Rafael dos Anjos (-157) vs. Renato Moicano (+147)

    Colby Covington (-330) vs. Jorge Masvidal (+300)

    Closing Remarks

    Be sure to keep it locked right here on MMANews.com tomorrow for all the results, highlights, and coverage from UFC 272!

  • Masvidal: I Was Hurt When I Was Kicked Out Of American Top Team

    Jorge Masvidal opens up on being thrown out of American Top Team years ago.

    Jorge Masvidal will be fighting his former teammate Colby Covington on Saturday night at UFC 272. These two have a long history together. At first, they were friends, and now they are enemies. At one time they were roommates and now they are promising harm to one another. When their relationship began to fall apart they were still both training at American Top Team in Florida.

    The owner of American Top Team, Dan Lambert recalled how the tension between Masvidal and Covington got so bad back then that he was forced to kick both men out of his gym. Covington was never allowed back in but Masvidal was.

    Masvidal doesn’t speak of that time in his life often, but he did in the lead up to UFC 272.

    “So I haven’t said anything in the media yet, and Dan puts this ultimatum. I don’t do well with ultimatums. So I immediately took to my first ‘insult’ in public of Colby, and that’s the first time I (really) attacked him,” Masvidal told ESPN. “And Dan kicked us both out. Colby didn’t even say nothing back or respond anything back. But Dan kicked us both out. And, man, I was hurt. Because I thought he was trolling me and joking me.”

    American Top Team is home to many high-level fighters. With so many fighters, there are bound to be some frustrations. Lambert said that throwing Masvidal and Covington was due to things getting out of control.

    “One week went by and that week turns into a month, and then two months, and then three months. This [MUTED] still not letting me in. I’m calling Dan every day because we’re still (very close),” Masvidal said. “He’s like my Uncle Dan. I’m like, ‘I’m gonna [MUTED] run you over, bro. I’m gonna take my car and take your knees out, bro, if you don’t let me back in the gym.’ He’s like, ‘Yeah, go do it, but you’re still not getting into the gym because I’ve told all our coaches not to let you in.’”

    Masvidal went on to say that he privately apologized to Lambert and the team and was eventually let back into the gym where he continues to train today. Lambert was getting pressure from his kids, who stopped talking to him, and his other coaches to let Masvidal back in. That was not the case with Covington, who never returned.

    Now, the grudge that started inside the gym will be settled inside the Octagon this weekend at UFC 272.

    Who do you have winning the main event of UFC 272, Jorge Masvidal or Colby Coviington?

  • Colby Covington Claims He Rejected An Invitation Back To ATT

    UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington recently revealed that he had an opportunity to go back to American Top Team, but turned it down.

    Covington is set to face his former friend and ATT teammate Jorge Masvidal in the main event of UFC 272. It is arguably one of the biggest grudge matches in UFC history and one of the rare non-title main events in recent memory.

    A major storyline of the Covington/Masvidal fight is the two fighters’ time at ATT, and Covington’s eventual departure. Covington left the team after near brawls and building tension between Covington and Masvidal, Joanna Jędrzejczyk, and Dustin Poirier.

    ATT owner Dan Lambert has recently detailed his version of what led to Covington leaving the team, and that Covington’s fractured relationship with Masvidal was unfixable.

    During a recent interview with ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, Covington admitted that he turned down an offer to return to ATT after the initial split.

    “Yeah, I got invited back by Dan and Conan,” Covington said. “Yeah, go ask them. I got texts, if you want to see the receipts I can show you. I have them, they invited me back. I didn’t want to go back. It wasn’t a good situation for me anymore. The last two years of training there, just all drama. Terrible energy. I couldn’t have any focus in my career, there was no direction, nothing. Just, it was terrible. It was draining me and I wasn’t getting the best out of myself. What was sacrificed was my training and my evolution as a fighter.

    Interview with UFC Champ Colby Covington of American Top Team in South Florida - YouTube
    Colby Covington

    “Now, I rid myself of that drama and all that stuff, I have a great camp that actually cares about me. It’s not about money, it’s not about paychecks, it’s about developing us as a fighter. Evolving. Taking the steps to get better every single day and I’ve seen the growth.”

    Covington went on to join nearby MMA Masters and is now coached by Cesar Carneiro and Daniel Valverde. He has said on numerous occasions how much of a burden training at ATT was for him during the final days of his tenure.

    Covington’s matchup with Masvidal isn’t just seen by some as a fighter vs. fighter battle, but also one with his former gym ATT. Covington will have the chance to silence his critics this weekend at UFC 272.

    What is your prediction for Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal?

  • ATT Founder Talks Gym “Blowback” From Covington’s Brazil Comments

    American Top Team founder Dan Lambert says the team began to turn against Colby Covington following his infamous roast of Brazil.

    Covington’s shift from relatively unknown welterweight fighter to a professional wrestling-like heel occurred following his win over Demian Maia at UFC Sao Paulo in 2017. After earning a dominant unanimous decision victory, Covington used his post-fight interview to call out the Brazilian crowd as “filthy animals” during his Octagon chat with Daniel Cormier.

    Covington had to be escorted out of the arena by groups of security personnel following the post-fight interview. Covington put a target on his back with his comments, including callouts from Belal Muhammad and Warlley Alves.

    During a recent interview with ESPN’s Marc Raimondi, Lambert explained how Covington’s post-fight comments about Brazil impacted the training environment at ATT.

    “Yeah, we had blowback immediately at the gym from some of those comments,” Lambert said of Covington. “Colby had never really caused much of a problem for other fighters at the gym leading up to that point. We obviously have a Brazilian presence at our gym with some other fighters and some coaches. I think most of them saw it for exactly what it was—just him trying to promote himself, but it’s not just how you see things in this business. These guys (Brazilians at ATT) are opening up their Instagram accounts and they’re getting direct messages from a million people in Brazil saying, ‘What are you doing you piece of [MUTED]? You’re gonna train this guy? You’re gonna work with this guy? You better step up and represent our country! What are you doing?’ So, they felt pressured.

    As tensions escalated between Covington and his now-former Brazilian teammates, Lambert explained how he needed to hold a meeting to bring the team back together and have everyone on the same page.

    “Basically, we just had a meeting at the gym, sat everybody down, and said, ‘Hey man, this is American Top Team here. I don’t care where you’re from or who you are. When you’re inside this gym, you’re here to do your job, and we’re a team. If anybody has an issue outside of the gym, or something somebody’s doing outside of the gym, that’s fine. But it stays outside the gym. Nobody’s too big to be asked to leave this gym.’ I think everybody brought into it and everybody understood it at the time.”

    Covington has since doubled down on his previous Brazil comments and isn’t apologetic for the post-fight interview. Covington will face former ATT teammate turned bitter rival Jorge Masvidal this weekend in the UFC 272 main event.

    Did Colby Covington go too far with his Brazil comments?

  • UFC 272: Covington vs. Masvidal Weigh-In Results, All Fighters On Target

    The UFC 272 weigh-in results are in, and every single fighter was on target ahead of the Las Vegas pay-per-view.

    Tomorrow night, Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal will finally turn talk into violence when they settle their feud once and for all in front of a worldwide audience. Both fighters made weight without issue, as did every other competitor on the card.

    That includes co-main eventers Rafael dos Anjos and Renato Moicano, who will be competing in a 160 lbs. catchweight bout in a short-notice bout. It also includes Edson Barboza and Bryce Mitchell, who will take the stage shortly before the two feature bouts of the evening.

    Three of our staff members broke down the entire main card with predictions, which you can find right here. And if you missed it, you can catch up on the pre-fight press conference highlights here.

    As usual, the UFC hosted a live weigh-in show, which you can check out right here.

    Finally, you can view the full UFC 272 weigh-in results and viewing information for the event below, courtesy of UFC.com.

    UFC 272 Weigh-In Results

    MAIN CARD (ESPN+ PPV, 10:00 PM ET)

    Main Event – Welterweight Bout: Colby Covington (170.5) vs Jorge Masvidal (170.5)

    Co-Main Event – Catchweight (160 lbs) Bout: Rafael Dos Anjos (160) vs Renato Moicano (160)

    Featherweight Bout: Edson Barboza (145.5) vs Bryce Mitchell (145.5)

    Welterweight Bout: Kevin Holland (170) vs Alex Oliveira (170)

    Heavyweight Bout: Serghei Spivac (243.5) vs Greg Hardy (266)

    PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/ESPN+/ESPN DEPORTES, 8:00 PM ET)

    Lightweight Bout: Jalin Turner (156) vs Jamie Mullarkey (155.5)

    Women’s Strawweight Bout: Marina Rodriguez (116) vs Yan Xiaonan (116)

    Light Heavyweight Bout: Nicolae Negumereanu (205.5) vs Kennedy Nzechukwu (206)

    Women’s Flyweight Bout: Maryna Moroz (125.5) vs Mariya Agapova (126)

    EARLY PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+/ESPN FIGHT PASS)

    Featherweight Bout: Brian Kelleher (145) vs Umar Nurmagomedov (146)

    Flyweight Bout: Tim Elliott (126) vs Tagir Ulanbekov (125.5)

    Lightweight Bout: Devonte Smith (156) vs Ludovit Klein (156)

    Light Heavyweight Bout: Dustin Jacoby (205.5) vs Michal Oleksiejczuk (206)