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.
This weekend, one of the most heated rivalries on MMA’s biggest stage will boil over into the Octagon. With bragging rights and a place in title contention at stake, the UFC 272 headliner promises to be an apt third PPV main event act for the UFC in 2022, despite the absence of a championship on the line.
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.
Given the time they spent together early in their careers, it’s unsurprising Covington and Masvidal have an abundance of information, personal insults, and negative stories to tell about each other.
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?
