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.
Hey @GamebredFighter you looked real nervous bud… 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 bitch just like you. #ufc272
“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?
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.
The main event tomorrow night will feature Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidalfinally settling their rivalry for the world to see. You can catch up on our ColbyCovington 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.
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.”
“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?
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.
“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 onhis 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?
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.
Former UFC interim welterweight champion Colby Covington is expecting a hungry Jorge Masvidal to enter the Octagon when they collide at UFC 272.
Covington will be taking on another fight involving bad blood something he has become accustomed to at this point. Yet, it appears to be at a boiling point between the two in the build-up to this bout as comes with the pair being former best friends.
With that, Covington is expecting Masvidal to be hungrier than ever when the two settle the score on March 5th. Speaking on the similarities between Masvidal and his last opponent Kamaru Usman to Yahoo Sports, Covington had the following to say.
“It’s tough to draw comparisons because we fight differently,” said Covington. “I’m a southpaw. Usman’s an orthodox. So I can’t take fights from different fights from the past and think that that’s gonna be the same guy. I think Jorges is gonna be hungrier for this fight than he’s ever been for any fight in the history of his career. So I don’t take much from those fights.”
The 34-year-old went toe-to-toe with Usman at UFC 268 in a competitive five-round fight. Where for the second time between the two, the UFC welterweight champion edged a decision victory over his foe. Despite the verdict, ‘Chaos’ still believes he had done enough on the night to earn the title.
“I know I went neck and neck with the pound-for-pound (best) fighter in the world. A lot of people in the world thought I won that fight. I thought I won rounds 3, 4, and 5. The people in the arena at Madison Square Garden thought I won three, four, and five.
Kamaru Usman, Colby Covington. Image Credit:
“It just sucks that the three stooges sitting cageside in the judges’ desk decided to score him winning by one (more) round against me, one little measly round. But he didn’t prove that he was some dominant pound-for-pound fighter, and I showed why I’m the #1 ranked fighter in the world,” said Covington.
It appears Covington is uninterested in facing Usman for a third time. With the #1 ranked UFC welterweight openly speaking of his interest in going up a weight class to face Israel Adesanya instead.
For now, Covington will have to remain focused if he is to get past the man labeled the ‘BMF’ in their grudge fight at UFC 272.
Who do you see coming out on top between Jorge Mascvidal an Colby Covington?
UFC featherweight Bryce Mitchell is hopeful that Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal can bury the hatchet following their UFC 272 grudge match.
Covington and Masvidal, former friends and teammates turned bitter rivals, will square off in the main event of UFC 272. It is one of the few non-title UFC main events in recent memory.
The beef between Covington and Masvidal has turned from heated, to downright nasty ahead of their fight. Covington has invoked Masvidal’s family and ex-romantic partner while Masvidal has said that he intends to leave Covington in critical condition in their matchup.
“I kinda hate to see the personal attacks, you know what I mean?” Mitchell said. “I kinda hope after the fight they just kinda hug it out. But I hate to see all that personal—it gets so personal. Because I think, overall, they’re both probably pretty good people. And I don’t know who’s gonna win, brother.
Courtesy of Jorge Masvidal’s Instagram (via Daily Mail)
“I hope that both of those guys leave that cage healthy because they’re talking about wanting to kill each other and all that. And I hope that neither of them dies. I hope that both of those people goes home healthy. I know they have a lot of people that care about ‘em back home, so that’s what I hope.”
Mitchell will fight featherweight contender Edson Barboza in the lead up to the UFC 272 main event between Covington and Masvidal. He’s looking to get back in the win column after nearly two years away from the sport.
Covington and Masvidal have both spewed heated rhetoric during the buildup to their fight, but Mitchell is hopeful that after they get their aggression out of their system, they can patch things up.
Do you think Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington will be friends again at some point?
Believing himself to be the rightful owner of the BMF title, UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman has offered to vacate the belt just for this weekend’s UFC 272 main event.
Despite the absence of official gold, many have suggested a ceremonial strap should be on the line. In 2019, Masvidal took home the specially-created BMF belt following his victory over Nate Diaz.
After some brought up the possibility of the belt being on the line this weekend, “The Nigerian Nightmare” took to Twitter to offer a generous loan of it for UFC 272.
I will relinquish the BMF Belt just for this fight #UFC272
During an interview with TMZ Sports, the topic of adding the BMF strap to the mix at UFC 272 came up. In response, “Chaos” branded it a fake belt and claimed he’ll be carrying four titles with him to the cage on March 5.
“I have a real title; he has a fake title. I could care less about his title. I have all the titles that matter: the people’s champion, America’s champion, Donald Trump’s favorite fighter, and Miami’s title. So I’m gonna put ’em all on the line (at UFC 272) to show you why I’m the king of Miami.”
We can’t imagine Bruce Buffer will be including those titles in Covington’s pre-fight introduction…
UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal has put pen to paper on a new contract with the UFC that puts him in the top three highest earners in the organization.
‘Gamebred’ is taking on Colby Covington this weekend in the main event of UFC 272 as the two stars are set to settle their beef in the Octagon. Bad blood has boiled between the pair for a while now which has all come from the downfall of their friendship.
Courtesy of Jorge Masvidal’s Instagram (via Daily Mail)
Masvidal is one of the biggest stars in the UFC, mainly because of his BMF status which he earned with his victory over Nate Diaz at UFC 244. He is however coming off a two-fight losing streak with both of those defeats coming to UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.
Speaking on his new contract, Masvidal posted the following on his social media.
“Thank you Hunter Campbell and @danawhite and my team @malkikawa @Abraham_kawa and @FirstRoundMgmt for making sure my kids will never go hungry again.”
With the announcement of his new contract made official, Masvidal now sits only behind Conor McGregor and Israel Adesanya on the highest-paid athletes’ list in the UFC. Being one of the UFC’s biggest draws has seen him earn the rare opportunity of headling a PPV card despite not fighting for a title at UFC 272.
Not to mention, Masvidal is a cover star for the organization’s video game ‘EA Sports UFC 4’ which was released in August 2020. The ‘BMF’ belt holder fronts the cover for the game alongside Adesanya.
Fans were surprised to hear the news of a new UFC contract for Masvidal, considering the UFC middleweight could extend his losing run on Saturday. Yet, Masvidal will remain a draw past UFC 272 with PPV fights against McGregor as well as a rematch with Diaz a possibility to consider in the making of his new deal.
One thing that’s become clear, thanks to both the pre-fight insults and discussion of each other’s styles, is that both men enter the contest with the belief their history as training partners will give them an edge.
That narrative was recently evident when Masvidal discussed the weaknesses he hopes to exploit in his former friend’s game.
Masvidal: Covington Is “Fragile”
During a recent interview with ESPN’s Max Kellerman, Masvidal, who enters this Saturday’s event off the back of consecutive losses to reigning welterweight king Kamaru Usman, claimed he’s seen Covington’s fragility first hand.
That, as well as a power edge over the former interim titleholder, is something “Gamebred” plans to use to his advantage inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on March 5.
“(I can exploit) his heart, and he’s fragile. I know him. I have, just like he has things to say about me and math on me, I know him,” said Masvidal. “I remember the times that I hit him a little bit too hard in the body—he took his gloves off and had to walk out of the cage. He would tell trainers, ‘Ah, we don’t have to spar, me and Masvidal. We could wrestle all the time, but we don’t have to spar.’
“It shows on his record. He doesn’t hurt anybody. He doesn’t have any power,” added Masvidal. “I know what I have to do; just be a dog, be a dog that I’ve always been, and just get in front of his face, and let him have it.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CakZ10bI0qK/
While there may be the absence of a championship on the line this Saturday, the animosity between the two headliners more than makes up for it. With a place in title contention and bragging rights on the line, UFC 272’s main event promises to be a must-see affair.
Who do you think will win UFC 272’s blockbuster grudge match, Jorge Masvidal or Colby Covington?
UFC 272 takes place Saturday, March 5, 2022, from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main event will feature an epic grudge match between former best friends Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal. The trash talk has been at a fever pitch this fight week, and it reached a boiling point tonight during the pre-fight press conference.
Below, you can find some of the most memorable moments from today’s UFC 272 pre-fight press conference.
UFC welterweight Colby Covington has been met with a stern response after comparing upcoming opponent Jorge Masvidal to Fidel Castro.
It won’t come as a surprise to anyone that Covington has approached fight week for UFC 272 with his usual mindset. We’d have been stupid to expect anything else.
Ahead of the pair’s heated clash this Saturday, Covington once again hasn’t held back. That was evident at UFC 272 media day when he compared “Gamebred” with Fidel Castro, who was a Cuban revolutionary and leader of the Caribbean nation between 1959 and 2008.
“I never ask for handouts, I’m not like Jorge Masvidal. That guy is the definition of handouts,” Covington told reporters. “He used to use an Obama Phone. He used to food stamps from the government. He’s Fidel Castro junior. The guy is the definition of communism and here he is trying to act like he’s a right-winger now. It’s just funny, the hypocrisy.” (h/t The Mac Life)
Having previously attacked the entire nation of Brazil and used rival Kamaru Usman’s Nigerian heritage as an insult, it’s hardly surprising to see Covington go down the route of utilizing Masvidal’s background as a weapon.
Masvidal Fires Back: He Is Clearly Trying To Get Emotion Out Of Me
While Masvidal was born and raised in Miami, his father was Cuban. According to “Gamebred,” his father fled Cuba in a self-made raft at a young age. Masvidal has never shied away from criticizing the politics and regime his father’s country is run under.
With that in mind, Covington’s insult certainly crosses the line for Masvidal. During his own appearance at UFC 272 media day, the 37-year-old had the opportunity to respond.
Noting the immense pain caused to his family by the Castro rule, Masvidal described the deceased leader as the only person he dislikes more than Covington. With that said, “Gamebred” acknowledged that Covington used the comparison to try and force emotion out of him, something many have pointed out as a key factor heading into their main event bout.
“Due to Fidel Castro, family members of mine died,” Masvidal said. “My aunt is actually missing a breast because she tried to cross over from Cuba to Guantanamo Bay and the whole area is rigged with landmines. She’s now missing a tit because as she was crossing over, a landmine exploded.
“So for him to say that is clearly trying to get an emotion out of me and to get in the newspapers. The one person I dislike more than Colby Covington is no longer alive and it’s Fidel Castro,” concluded Masvidal.
Having previously referenced Masvidal’s family and children, it’s safe to say that there isn’t much left for Covington to comment on that could get under Masvidal’s skin. However, the topic of Castro and Cuba is clearly something the #6-ranked welterweight won’t entertain, and understandably.
While this grudge match certainly didn’t need more insults and back and forth to make it intriguing, that’s exactly what we’re getting so far in fight week. But when the cage door shuts, the time for talking will be over.
American Top Team founder Dan Lambert says the best outcome for his gym at UFC 272 would be a replica of Jorge Masvidal’s knockout of Ben Askren in 2019.
While ATT’s interest in this weekend’s pay-per-view recently increased with the late-notice addition of Brazil’s Renato Moicano to the card, the gym’s main attention will no doubt be on the headlining bout, which pits current influential member Masvidal against the ousted Colby Covington.
With that in mind, Dan Lambert, who founded the gym in 2001, is after a fast and emphatic victory for his man in Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena this Saturday.
Lambert: Quick KO For Masvidal Would Be “Satisfying” For ATT
During a recent interview with ESPN MMA’s Marc Raimondi, Lambert discussed the upcoming grudge match between one of his gym’s current fighters and perhaps the most notable former athlete, who he even used to manage.
Given Covington’s history with ATT, and feuds with the likes of Dustin Poirier and Joanna Jędrzejczyk, Lambert believes the best-case scenario for his gym would be a “satisfying” early finish, perhaps similar to the downfall of a certain “funky” former welterweight in 2019.
“I’d be lying if I said this was just another fight. We’ve got fights every week. This is a monstrous fight…You throw the personal side into it and it’s a monstrous fight,” said Lambert. “And I can’t help but look at what a fight like this means to the individual at our gym. This is a big fight. Jorge wins this fight, his career goes a certain way. Jorge loses this fight, it’s gonna go another way.
“Best outcome for us (ATT) would be Masvidal/Askren 2. That would be pretty satisfying for a lot of people at this gym,” Lambert continued. “It didn’t really seem realistic against somebody as good as Ben Askren. But I think Colby is a whole other level than that. Outside of Usman, Colby is gonna be favorited against everybody. So, yeah, it’s probably an unrealistic expectation to have a short fight like that. But I think it’s also an unrealistic expectation to think that Colby is gonna go in there and dominate Jorge.”
The source of Masvidal’s current stardom perhaps largely derived from one flying knee. At UFC 239 in July 2019, the Miami native was matched up with Ben Askren, who, at the time, boasted an unblemished 19-0 record and had emerged victorious in his promotional debut against Robbie Lawler four months prior.
Colby Covington tells a different story of what went down between him and Jorge Masvidal at UFC 241.
Recently, Masvidal added some more heat to the rivalry by revealing details of the night Covington “snitched” on him to Dana White. According to “Gamebred,” when he confronted the former interim welterweight champion about some things he said online, Covington immediately spoke to Dana White about it.
However, Covington remembers the scenario a little differently. Here is what he said in an interview with ESPN MMA:
“Jorge was in the fifth row, he’s five row backs. I’m the champion at the time, so I’m first row, and I’m there to support my boy DC, the “Natty Goat”. You know, Daniel Cormier is the legend, the “Natty Goat.” I call him the “Natty Goat” for a reason. So, I’m there to support him in his fight versus Stipe Miocic, and I just hear rumbling behind me and people are shuffling, and I’m like what the [MUTED]. What’s going on back there? And then I see Jorge, and I’m like ‘Yo, what’s up man? What are you doing, dude?’ ‘Oh, I’m gonna [MUTED] you up for all the things you said. Let’s go outside. Let’s go, dude.’
There are many differences in their stories. For starters, Masvidal claims he tapped Covington on the shoulder and asked him to talk outside. But what happened next is where the two stories diverge wildly.
“And I’m like ‘Dude, you really want to go do this outside Jorge, I’m gonna dump you on your head. You’re not gonna have the UFC to pay your medical bills, so you really want to do this?’ And he’s just running his mouth from like the 4th of 5th row back. I’m in the front row, and I’m just like ‘Dude, act like a professional.’
“And that’s the whole thing, we’re at a UFC event, man, when have I ever laid hands on someone when I can beat up anybody in the crowd, any of the fighters—none of them can touch me. I’m the best fighter in the entire world. But I don’t do it ’cause I’m a professional. I handle my business in the cage. That’s where I do my business, in the UFC Octagon,” Covington continued.
Dana White Gets Involved In Covington/Masvidal Drama
Dana White, Photo Credit: Getty Images
Through Masvidal’s eyes, Covington ran and told Dana White after their interaction. However, Covington denies the entire thing.
Yes, he spoke to Dana White, but it was not to “snitch.” He says it was because White approached him about the ordeal.
“So Dana came over to me, he’s like ‘I don’t want any stuff messing up this event tonight. We need this fight to go through, and we don’t need anything to ruin it in the crowd.’ And he goes and tells Jorge the same exact thing. ‘Jorge, chill out, dude. You’re not gonna fight him, dude. You’re not gonna fight in the streets. You guys are professional cage fighters. You guys wanna fight, you can settle it in the Octagon.’”
A constant in their story is that Dana White did squash any potential scuffle, making it very clear to not fight at the event.
Obviously, nothing went down that night. But regardless of who is telling the truth, they will settle their conflict legally and in front of the entire world this Saturday, March 5.
What are your thoughts on Colby Covington’s version of what happened between him and Jorge Masvidal at UFC 241?
A South Florida sushi restaurant nearly turned into a makeshift Octagon for UFC 272 headliners Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington.
Masvidal and Covington are slated to face off in a welterweight grudge match at UFC 272. The two former friends and teammates have been on each other’s nerves for years following their fallout.
Masvidal has proven to not be someone who will back down from a fight, even if it means confronting someone in a public setting. This element of his game goes back to his days fighting on the streets of Miami and also when he confronted Leon Edwards backstage in London.
The tension between Masvidal and Covington hit a boiling point following Covington’s win over Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 225. Masvidal has claimed that Covington allegedly failed to pay one of his coaches, which caused tensions to escalate.
Masvidal and Covington nearly brawled on numerous occasions during their time at American Top Team, according to both fighters. But things nearly took a sharp turn after Masvidal tried to lure Covington to a local sushi spot.
“I come into a gym, random practice, and I see him there. And he kinda tries to ignore me,” Masvidal claimed. “And I was like, ‘Hey, bro, after practice, we’ll talk.’ He’s like, “Yeah, yeah, for sure, bro. Cool, cool. We’ll talk.’ And it’s pretty amicable. It’s not that bad.
“He’s like, ‘What do you want to talk about?’ I’m like, ‘I want to talk about you being a bitch and bringing up my name in interviews and Dan [Lambert] said not to.’ I still haven’t gone public with him. I’m just trying to address him man to man. Like, ‘Let’s not go that route, bro. And if you are, let’s just put the gloves on and beat the shit out of each other and get it out the system, you know? It’s pretty cool. I tell him all this; it’s pretty cool. As soon as I turn my back and a couple people come with him, the show starts. I’ll [MUTED] kill you, bro! Don’t ever talk to me like that!’”
After Covington allegedly switched into character, Masvidal details how things escalated in the middle of the gym.
“I turn around, I come to confront him, it’s too late. The whole gym’s involved because he made such a show. So I tell him, ‘There’s this sushi place we always used to go to right here.’ And I tell him, ‘I’m gonna go to the sushi place, bro. Dinner’s on me. Let’s go. I’ll be waiting for you.
“So I get in my car, go to the place, he’s not showing up. I get on Instagram, ‘Hey, bro, if you wanna collect your dinner, I’m over here,’ blah, blah, blah. Never showed up. So I’ve always known, deep down inside, he’s a coward. I just can’t wait for March 5 to expose it.”
Covington has yet to formally reply to Masvidal’s claims.
ATT owner Dan Lambert has recently claimed that the fractured relationship between Masvidal and Covington was unfixable. This led to Covington parting ways with the team and joining nearby MMA Masters to train going forward.
What is your prediction for Jorge Masvidal vs. Colby Covington?
UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington was allegedly willing to take a pay cut and give up pay-per-view points to fight at UFC 272.
Covington will face former friend and American Top Team teammate Jorge Masvidal in the UFC 272 headliner. The bad blood between them has been boiling for a couple of years, and they’ll finally get the chance to get their hands on each other in the Octagon.
Love him or hate him, Covington has emerged as one of the top PPV stars in the UFC along with his rival Masvidal. The fight itself was expected to potentially garner earth-shattering numbers when it was first announced, but Covington has allegedly declined any extra pay raise.
“This is just a personal rivalry, this isn’t about the money,” Covington said. “I didn’t come here to fight for money. I took a pay cut, I didn’t care about the money for this fight. This is about settling a blood rivalry, this is a long time coming. This guy’s been holding it off as long as he could until he had no other opportunities. This is the biggest opportunity he can get to pay his alimony, to pay his child support. So of course he’s gotta come and get this losing paycheck.
When further pressed for clarification, Covington doubled down on his financial stance regarding his fight with Masvidal.
“Yeah, I foregoed the pay-per-view, I don’t care about the pay-per-view for this fight. I wanna come put on a show in the UFC and show that I’m deserving of being a lifetime UFC fighter.”
Covington and Masvidal are both looking to get a third fight with UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman after losses in 2021. Masvidal was also supposed to face Leon Edwards at UFC 269 before pulling out with an injury and setting up the fight with Covington.
UFC President Dana White hasn’t addressed Covington’s claims of a pay cut and forfeiting PPV points publically, but he may be questioned in the coming days.
What is your prediction for Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal?
American Top Team (ATT) founder Dan Lambert has recalled the moment that led to welterweight star Colby Covington chasing his persona, seemingly confirming a story that Jorge Masvidal recently disputed.
One night changed it all—that night being UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Machida in October 2017. The event, held in São Paulo, Brazil, saw Covington make his ninth walk to the Octagon. But despite boasting a 7-1 promotional record and being on a four-fight win streak, “Chaos” was apparently facing the chopping block.
Whether it was confirmed by Covington’s respectful interaction with Kamaru Usman following UFC 268 or long before, most in the MMA community acknowledge that Covington has developed a character that has brought him attention and headlines.
Lambert Says He Was Warned About Covington’s Likely Cut
During a recent interview with ESPN MMA’s Marc Raimondi, Lambert, who established ATT in 2001, harked back to the moment that forced Covington to change. According to him, that moment came in Singapore on June 17, 2017. On that night, “Chaos” comfortably defeated Dong Hyun Kim on the scorecards.
But while he left Asia with a victory over “Stun Gun” on his record, Covington also apparently left with a word of warning from matchmaker Sean Shelby, who’d alerted Lambert that the promotion wouldn’t look to re-sign the stylistically unappealing Covington following his next fight.
“Colby was a little bit of a problem for the UFC. Kinda like that Jon Fitch issue. He’s a guy who is going to beat just about everybody that he fights, but his style was not very exciting at the time,” said Lambert. “Case in point, he was fighting ‘Stun Gun’ in Singapore, who was obviously the favorite of the crowd, and he (Covington) went out and basically 30-26’d him. The crowd’s booing the whole time, which, for a crowd over there, is fairly rare; they’re a pretty respectful crowd. But it was not a very eventful fight.
“After the fight, Sean (Shelby) came up to me and basically said, ‘Hey man, he’s got one fight left on his contract. He’s beating guys we want to promote. Fans aren’t getting into him. If you wanna start looking for something else for him to do after his next fight, go ahead, cause we’re not gonna re-sign him,’” Lambert recalled.
Following that conversation, Lambert says he was quick to relay the message to his man, who began developing ideas on how to rescue his spot on the UFC roster.
“I went right to him in the locker room that night, right after I talked to Sean. I said, ‘Hey man, here’s what Sean told me. Obviously, we’re not gonna be able to change things overnight with the way you fight; your style is your style. But there’s other things you might be able to change.’ And I asked Sean if he could fight Demian Maia next in Brazil and he said yes,” continued Lambert. “That was a wake-up call. That was a slap to the face from Sean. Pretty Much that night he started thinking, ‘What can I do to set myself apart?”
Given that Masvidal was in Singapore to corner Covington for his fight against Kim, it is strange that Lambert and Masvidal have different versions of the same story. Either way, this is a contradiction between the two ATT allies that not many would have expected.
Jun17.2017
Colby Covington earns his 12th career win when he defeats Dong Hyun Kim.
As per Covington, the UFC wanted to cut him after this fight. This sparked the beginning of "Chaos"character. pic.twitter.com/1Nc7s3lVZm
— MMA History Today (@MMAHistoryToday) June 17, 2021
What do you make of the alterations Colby Covington has made to his persona since his 2017 victory over Dong Hyun Kim? Has he gone too far?
The BMF champion highly anticipates putting an end to Covington’s confidence this Saturday, March 5. Every week, he reminds UFC fans that he will destroy Covington, and there has been a huge lead-up as to why.
Recently, in an interview with ESPN, Masvidal went into detail about a confrontation that took place on the night of UFC 241.
“I was at (UFC 241), and guess who I see there? Colby. And I haven’t seen him in months because he’s been traveling, I’ve been at the gym, I’ve been in and out of the gym, so we weren’t really clicking. So I finally see him and he just dropped (an) interview. And I just tapped him on the shoulder and he’s immediately nervous. Actually, this is on video. They have this on video. And I asked him, ‘Oh, what’s all that [MUTED] you’ve been talking? But we’re both men, man. You got my phone number. Why don’t we go outside and just talk like men? And he freaked out. He was like, “No, bro, you’re trying to fight, bro?! You’re so unprofessional, bro! We’re grown-ass men! What are you doing?! What’s wrong with you?!’”
Masvidal/Covington Face-Off Takes A Sudden Turn
Dana White, Image Credit: MMA Fighting
That night, Masvidal says his intentions were to speak to Covington about certain posts on social media that pertained to him. Before long, the UFC boss got involved.
“I’m like, ‘Let’s go outside and just talk, leave everybody here. Just go outside and talk.’ He’s like, ‘No, we’ll talk another day,’ freakin’ out like his usual self. I go back to my seat. I see him waving down Dana White. And I go, “Nah, there’s no way.’
“You can ask Dana White this…waves down Dana White and tells Dana White that I’m trying to fight him right there on sight. But this guy’s talking all this [MUTED] on the internet, that he’s a thug. Dana White’ll come out and tell you. Like, ‘Man, Masvidal was ready to go. This guy wanted no part of it,’” Masvidal continued.
“Dana White calls me over, he’s like, ‘Man, you trying to hand out three-pieces and a soda, Masvidal?! <Dana White laugh> No, but seriously, don’t [MUTED] fight here at the event.’ I’m like, ‘Bro, all I wanted to do was talk to the guy outside, bro. Now, he’s made it a problem by [MUTED] going to you…(he’s) snitching on me, you know?”
UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman doesn’t believe Colby Covington will have an overwhelming grappling advantage against Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272 this weekend.
Ahead of Saturday’s main event, not many are better placed to provide a prediction and breakdown of the contest than Usman, a fighter who’s spent nearly 50 minutes in the Octagon with Covington and over half an hour in the cage with Masvidal.
Leading into the clash between “Chaos” and “Gamebred,” many are expecting the former to boast a considerable edge in the grappling and wrestling department. But despite securing five takedowns and managing over 10 minutes of control time in his first meeting with Masvidal, Usman believes the Miami native can hold his own.
During a recent interview with Megan Olivi for ESPN MMA, Usman was asked whether he expects Covington to utilize an “overwhelming” grappling advantage inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night.
“The Nigerian Nightmare” responded by suggesting Masvidal’s ability to return to his feet was surprising to him and leads him to believe any advantage in that realm for Covington won’t be substantial.
“No, I don’t think so. I think the thing that Jorge does very well is his ability to get back up,” said Usman. “And I was actually shocked in my fight with him because I am more of a control guy, and so his ability to get back up a few times let me know that this is something that he’s done for a long, long time. I think Covington understands that as well.”
With that in mind, the reigning welterweight titleholder expects Covington to plan accordingly. Rather than push for top control on the ground, Usman expects the former interim champion to employ a grueling approach that will have the aim of fatiguing Masvidal.
“I don’t think that’s Covington’s plan. I don’t think his plan is to hold him down. I think his plan is to drag him down, make him get back up, and drag him back down; make him get up and drag him back down. Eventually, wear him out,” Usman concluded.
While some have branded it a classic striker vs. grappler contest, Covington’s displays on the feet against Usman and Masvidal’s ability to avoid ground control means the clash has many more dimensions to it.
Do you agree with Kamaru Usman’s take on Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal’s grappling?
UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal has shared a video compilation of his past friendship with Colby Covington ahead of their grudge match.
Masvidal and Covington will cap off the rise and fall of their friendship in the UFC 272 main event. The two top welterweight contenders are vying for another potential title shot with a victory.
Bad blood has boiled over during fight week, even before their highly-anticipated pre-fight press conference. The two welterweights also verbally sparred in a recent joint interview with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.
Masvidal and Covington used to be great friends and loyal teammates during their time together at American Top Team in Florida. However, things fell off in recent years after Covington allegedly failed to pay one of Masvidal’s coaches after a fight.
The past friendship between Masvidal and Covington is arguably the biggest storyline of UFC 272 fight week. Amidst the massive interest ahead of the pay-per-view, Masvidal posted a video compilation on his YouTube channel describing the highs and lows of their previous friendship.
The video shows the two former ATT teammates and roommates playing video games, training together, sprinting down a hallway, and doing other activities. Masvidal and Covington also are seen praising one another for their successes in the Octagon.
The second half of the video shows where things went wrong between Masvidal and Covington. It demonstrates Covington’s shift as a heel in and out of the cage along with a past interview that Masvidal conducts with MMA journalist Ariel Helwani.
Masvidal and Covington will now slug it out this weekend at UFC 272. In what is expected to be one of the biggest fights of 2022, no love remains between these two brawlers.
What is your prediction for Jorge Masvidal vs. Colby Covington?
Following blockbuster 2022 headliners at UFC 270 and 271, which saw a heavyweight unification showdown in California and a long-awaited middleweight rematch in Houston, Las Vegas is set to play host to the year’s first non-title pay-per-view main event.
Heading into this weekend’s welterweight collision, many have understandably branded the headliner a classic grappler vs. striker contest. One man who’s faced the different attacks of both Masvidal and Covington is Usman.
Discussing Masvidal’s skills, Usman suggested “Gamebred” has all the tools to battle Covington’s imposing wrestling game and land damaging shots on the feet.
“I think he (Masvidal) can potentially win this fight because one thing about Masvidal is he’s one of the only guys who is, in his stance, he’s so tall in his stance,” said Usman. “But he’s able to defend takedowns from some of the best wrestlers. He’s very, very good; his striking is so relaxed and so fast, and if he’s able to touch you, it might not feel as hard, but he can touch that button and shut the lights out.
“Being able to run across the Octagon in five seconds and land a knee like that (against Ben Askren) just shows the different level of athleticism,” Usman continued. “He’s an athlete, he’s a skilled striker, he’s a skilled fighter, and he definitely has the tools to be able to land that shot to steal this fight away from Covington.”
Usman: Masvidal Won’t Be As Easy To Take Down As Covington Thinks
The leading narrative heading into UFC 272 fight week is the history between the two headliners. Having trained together, cornered each other, and lived with one another, Masvidal and Covington head into their grudge match with perhaps more information than they’ve ever had on an opponent.
But despite that, Usman believes both may be underestimating each other’s growth since their unceremonious split.
The reigning welterweight king suggested Masvidal will be a lot harder to take down than Covington will be anticipating, a sentiment he believes also applies across the cage to Masvidal’s standup expectations.
“One thing I will say is I think in this fight, Colby’s going to realize that it’s harder to take Masvidal down in an actual fight than when they were in practice,” Usman suggested. “I know in his mind, he’s gonna expect it to be like it was when they practiced. But they spent some time apart now, and I think he’s gonna realize it’s a lot harder to take him down in a fight than it is in practice.
“And Masvidal, on the flip side, he’s gonna realize that it’s a lot harder to strike with this guy now than back when I was beating him up when he first came into the sport,” concluded Usman.
Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington
While predictions may be split and the result up in the air, one thing is certain as we enter fight week: We’re set for an animosity-fueled and hostile pre-fight build. For those set to attend the press conference on Thursday, that’s undoubtedly a mouth-watering prospect.
Who do you think will have their hand raised in the UFC 272 main event, Colby Covington or Jorge Masvidal?
Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal had a heated face-to-face interview leading up to their highly-anticipated UFC 272 grudge match.
Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal have been trash-talking one another for two years now ever since their falling out as former teammates and close friends. Finally, the two had an opportunity to address one another on camera in a virtual face-to-face interview hosted by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith on the Stephen A’s World show on ESPN+.
Below, you can find the major talking points from the contentious segment:
The matter of Colby Covington opting to wear sunglasses
What happened to their friendship?
Masvidal predicts Covington will be without his “fake teeth” on Monday.
Covington calls Masvidal a deadbeat dad and a criminal
Covington is confident heading into the fight because Masvidal is a “bum” who’s been beat up by everybody
Interview then reaches a boiling point, both parties talking over one another for extended stretch
Masvidal not considering losing an option, promises to return to Stephen A’s World after the fight to dish more dirt on Covington
We will all find out who will get the last word when Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal meet this Saturday inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada during the UFC 272 main event.
You can catch the full clip from the face-to-face interview between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal below.
UFC welterweight star Jorge Masvidal has accused bitter rival Colby Covington of being a “coward” when confronted by Russians during the pair’s time as teammates.
While the pair’s name value alone would have made this contest must-see, their history as former friends, roommates, and teammates makes it one of the most anticipated matchups of the year to date and one that promises to produce fireworks inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.
That’s included accusations of adultery, gambling debts, and conflicting takes on Covington’s ATT departure. Thanks to a recent interview, we can add an interesting altercation with a group of Russians to that list…
Masvidal: Covington Was Such A Coward
While in conversation with ESPN MMA’s Marc Raimondi prior to UFC 272 fight week, Masvidal narrated an instance when Covington’s trash talk and attacks on other fighters appeared to come back to haunt him.
The incident, which Masvidal says took place after their falling out, apparently saw “Chaos” approached and confronted by a group of Russian individuals, who, while not specified, were seemingly part of the ATT roster at the time. “Gamebred” said the exchange came over remarks Covington made about Khabib Nurmagomedov, the legendary former UFC lightweight champion who hails from Dagestan.
According to Masvidal, Covington responded like a “coward.”
“We got a bunch of Russians here. Guess what? Those Russians got him in the bathroom because he was in the sauna, four/five of them. And they told him, ‘You cannot talk like this,’” claimed Masvidal. “He’s like, “No, I’m sorry.’ Apologetic as hell. At the time, we weren’t cool at all. Because he had already ripped off my coach.
“So I was like, ‘I hope they [MUTED] him up. And if he thinks I’m gonna jump in for anything, the only thing I’m gonna jump in is to kick his [MUTED] teeth in,’” added Masvidal. “So I was hoping these Russians were gonna take him out. But he was such a coward. And he’s all like, ‘No, no, no, never again, bro! I’m trying to make my mark. I’m trying to make my brand and my name.’ And they’re like, ‘Don’t disrespect Khabib.’”
Unsurprisingly, UFC 272 fight week is already delivering the level of animosity and bad blood we’ve come to expect from these two. As we move closer to fight night, it’s safe to say the heated back and forth will only intensify.
Who do you think will win this grudge match, Jorge Masvidal or Colby Covington?
Colby Covington has a bold prediction for his fight with Jorge Masvidal.
Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal will be facing off in the main event of the upcoming UFC 272 event this weekend. This non-title fight main event is sure to bring hard-hitting action and drama. Already in the lead-up to this event, Covington and Masvidal have been engaging in trash talk. The history between them makes for an added sense of interest from fans.
Because these two men used to train together, they know each other very well. They don’t like each other and have been promising harm on each other for years. Covington is now predicting not only damage to Masvidsal but the end of his career.
“I see a lot of pain. I’m gonna inflict so much pain on Jorge Masvidal he’s not gonna be the same person ever again,” Covington told TMZ Sports. “He keeps talking about a baptism. It’s not gonna be a baptism. It’s gonna be a funeral. It’s Jorge Masvidal’s career-ending funeral. It’s gonna be violent.”
There is a chance that this fight goes the distance, and it seems that would be just fine with Covington. However, Covington predicts that the main event is much more likely to contain a historic conclusion.
“And I’m not gonna finish it quick,” Covington said. “I could easily finish it quick because I do it all the time behind closed doors we used to train. But this one, I’m gonna drag it out, I’m gonna make him suffer, and it’ll probably be the first time in UFC history you see a guy in the main event just verbally tap out and say he can’t take no more of a beating.”
Who do you think will be taking home the win at UFC 272, Colby Covington or Jorge Masvidal?
Conor McGregor’s next fight is an opportunity for “The Notorious” to revitalize his UFC career.
It’s unclear who his next opponent will be. However, we can look at several fighters who want a “Money fight” against McGregor.
(via Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Conor McGregor’s Losses to Dustin Poirier
McGregor hopes to rebound from two losses against his rival “The Diamond” Dustin Poirier.
He already had a 1st round KO win over Poirier at UFC 178 on Sep. 27, 2014, at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, the fight happened at featherweight, and they both had evolved as fighters since their first encounter.
“The Diamond” got his revenge, defeating McGregor by TKO in the 2nd round at UFC 257 on Jan. 24, 2021, on Fight Island in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. While McGregor acted friendly with Poirier before the rematch, he changed his attitude in their last fight.
Before their third fight, McGregor insulted both Poirier and his wife. He also posted a screenshot of Poirier’s wife’s DM request on Twitter, insinuating infidelity. Although the MMA superstar tried to get under his opponent’s skin, Poirier got the last laugh.
At the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, Poirier defeated McGregor by TKO in the 1st round at UFC 264 on Jul. 10, 2021. The MMA superstar suffered a broken leg (tibia) during the fight, and the referee ended the fight due to doctor stoppage.
(via: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
Leg Injury
The injury resulted in McGregor having surgery, which has kept him out of competition. Coach John Kavanagh also shared that McGregor suffered an ankle injury before the third fight with Poirier.
While he isn’t ready for fights yet, the Irishman has recovered from his surgery and walks without assistance. He appeared healthy as he supported his SBG Ireland teammates at Bellator 275 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland, on Feb. 25.
He may also be moving up at welterweight for his next fight. McGregor has a history of fighting at welterweight unless his fight has UFC Lightweight Championship implications.
On a two-fight losing streak and ranked ninth at lightweight, it doesn’t seem likely he’ll be close to a championship opportunity.
(via Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Possible Opponents for McGregor’s Next Fight
As McGregor prepares to make his UFC return, it’s time to consider possible opponents for the former two-division champion. Although McGregor is UFC’s biggest star, he needs a popular challenger to fight against.
(via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)
Nate Diaz
UFC fans have anticipated a third fight between McGregor and Nate Diaz as both fighters have a win over the other at welterweight. The rivalry has also created two successful pay-per-view buy rates with UFC 196 and 202.
Although Nate Diaz is on a two-fight losing streak, he impressed fans with his last performance by hurting Leon Edwards at UFC 263 at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on Jun. 12, 2021. Diaz also shared that he wants to stop fighting soon, so the UFC may decide to have the trilogy before he retires.
(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Dustin Poirier
While Dustin Poirier has two wins against McGregor, fans still wonder what would’ve happened if the injury didn’t occur in their last fight.
“I don’t think so. I don’t think the chapter will ever be closed, said Poirier(h/t Harvey Leonard).
“The Diamond” has teased a move to welterweight after losing to Charles Oliveria for the UFC Lightweight Championship at UFC 269 at the T-Mobile Arena on Dec. 11, 2021. A welterweight fight against McGregor adds a different element to a potential bout, as McGregor has more experience in the weight class than Poirier.
It could also benefit Dustin Poirier to adjust to a new weight class against an opponent he’s defeated twice.
“Gamebred” Jorge Masvidal presents a unique opportunity for the UFC and Conor McGregor.
Masvidal is considered the reigning BMF Champion, although he’s lost twice to UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman at UFC 251 and 261. Since winning the BMF title, the UFC hasn’t made him defend it. The company may not recognize it as a legitimate championship, but it is an option they can use to promote McGregor’s next PPV main event fight.
Masvidal has shown interest in fighting the Dublin native in the past. UFC President Dana White downplayed a potential matchup and thought Jorge Masvidal was too big for McGregor. However, the UFC could have McGregor challenge “Gamebred” for the BMF Championship.
The company may also have Masvidal and McGregor fight without needing a title. The BMF Champion will compete against Colby Covington in a non-title fight main event at UFC 272 at the T-Mobile Arena on March 5.
Whether Masvidal wins or losses, the UFC has shown faith that he doesn’t need to use the BMF title to sell a PPV. Alongside McGregor, he could create intrigue for fans to want to see them fight.
(Image Credits: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC & Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Another opportunity for McGregor is the possibility of beating a ranked welterweight. “Gamebred” is ranked sixth in the division, and a win for McGregor could make him an instant contender for the UFC Welterweight Championship.
He’s also teased challenging Kamaru Usman for the title and thinks he could be a three-division UFC champion. Beating Masvidal at welterweight gives McGregor options to be a welterweight or lightweight title contender.
(Photo Credit: Rex / Shutterstock GQ Magazine)
When Will Conor McGregor’s Next Fight Be?
It’s unclear what the UFC has planned for the Conor McGregor next fight. Regardless, the UFC star is looking forward to ending his two-fight losing streak and showing that the surgery made him stronger. The company seems to have its PPV schedule planned until June.
Conclusion
Despite his uncertain UFC return, McGregor has plenty of opponents for a comeback fight. However, the MMA superstar will need to get cleared by doctors and resume raining before he can step into the Octagon and score another victory.
MMA News will provide an update when more information is available.
