UFC 272 – Poker, sushi and betrayal

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. – Jorge Masvidal walked into the American High Staff (ATT) gymnasium sooner or later in September 2019 and noticed Colby Covington. The 2 males, previously finest buddies and roommates, now barely acquired alongside. The stress between them was excessive.

Masvidal approached Covington and mentioned they need to discuss after observe. Covington requested what he needed to speak about, and Masvidal responded that Covington was “being a b—-” and he did not admire a number of the issues Covington had mentioned about him in interviews. Covington agreed they need to chat.

“It is fairly amicable,” Masvidal informed ESPN of that second. “It is not that unhealthy.”

However as Masvidal circled to stroll away, he mentioned, Covington started to boost his voice.

“I am going to f—ing kill you, bro,” Masvidal mentioned Covington shouted. “Do not ever discuss to me like that.”

The outburst acquired the complete gymnasium’s consideration. Coaches and different fighters stepped between the 2 athletes and separated them.

Covington remembers that confrontation within the gymnasium however disagrees with Masvidal’s recollection, saying Masvidal was the one who started yelling.

“If he needed to do one thing,” Covington mentioned, “he would have [gotten] in my face.”

Masvidal took a younger Covington beneath his wing greater than 10 years in the past. They bonded over coaching and poker, shared an house and had been so shut that American High Staff proprietor Dan Lambert joked that he thought they had been “in a relationship.” Covington’s escalating, crude rhetoric — together with concentrating on teammates — in addition to a monetary disagreement between Covington and one in all Masvidal’s coaches induced an acrimonious break up. They’ve spent the previous few years publicly buying and selling insults and accusations, and not too long ago informed ESPN what actually created the rift between them.

Their shared historical past over almost a decade has created probably the most private rivalries the game has ever seen. On Saturday, no person will stand between Covington and Masvidal. Locked within the Octagon for the principle occasion of UFC 272 in Las Vegas, the fighters will have interaction in one of the biggest grudge matches in UFC history — former roommates become essentially the most hated of rivals. Each fighters did not defeat Kamaru Usman twice to win the title, however this combat has nothing to do with a championship, and it is larger than the numbers subsequent to their names.

“They’re gonna be coming to kill one another,” ATT fighter and PFL champion Kayla Harrison mentioned. “That is as actual because it will get.”

After the close to brawl in September 2019, Masvidal mentioned he requested Covington to satisfy him following observe at Nana-Sushi Thai, a restaurant the 2 used to frequent collectively simply three minutes from the gymnasium. Dinner can be on him. Covington, Masvidal mentioned, by no means confirmed.

For Masvidal, at that time, the time for speaking was over.

“[I was] in all probability gonna break a bottle on his face,” Masvidal mentioned.

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• April 20, 2013: Jorge Masvidal makes his UFC debut.

• Aug. 23, 2014: Colby Covington makes his UFC debut.

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COVINGTON ARRIVED IN Florida in 2011, simply months after being honored as a NCAA Division I All-American wrestler at Oregon State College. The California native joined the gymnasium as a part of a brand new ATT program designed to get extra standout beginner wrestlers within the door. Fairly rapidly, Masvidal took a liking to Covington and the 2 started coaching collectively. Masvidal, a top-notch striker, needed assist together with his wrestling, and he returned the favor by displaying Covington new boxing and kickboxing expertise.

“It is just like the saying goes: Opposites entice,” Covington mentioned. “I simply really feel like we had been simply drawn to one another naturally.”

The friendship blossomed exterior the gymnasium. After coaching collectively through the day, Masvidal and Covington would run into one another at native casinos. Each had been avid poker gamers and shortly they began planning to play collectively after coaching at Seminole On line casino Coconut Creek or Isle On line casino Pompano Park.

“I imply, they had been simply all the time collectively, all the time speaking about one another, however propping one another up,” Lambert mentioned to ESPN. “It was all the time, ‘Oh, this man’s gonna do that and this man’s gonna do that. We’re gonna take over the world collectively.'”

Covington was fairly quiet when he first arrived on the gymnasium, these at ATT recalled to ESPN. Masvidal was one of many individuals who acquired him to open up a bit.

“I am not gonna say [Covington was] anti-social, however definitely not a sociable man,” ATT normal supervisor Richie Guerriero mentioned. “Not tremendous well-liked among the many workforce. However then once more, I do not suppose he ingratiated himself to be buddies with a ton of individuals on the workforce.”

And but some, like Masvidal, held Covington in excessive esteem. Harrison, who began coaching at ATT in 2018, mentioned she thought of Covington a pal at one level. Each shared a head coach in Mike Brown and a power and conditioning coach in Jeremy Fedoruk.

“He was all the time actually form to me,” Harrison mentioned. “He was humorous, would joke round, giggle with me. … We’d go up there and practice collectively, work onerous, push one another. I’ve nothing however good issues to say about him.”

Masvidal requested Covington to be his roommate in 2016 when he noticed his teammate was down on his luck. Covington had damaged up together with his girlfriend and was rehabbing a damaged hand. So, Masvidal let him keep at his two-bedroom house in Coconut Creek, close to the gymnasium. The duo had been roommates for about 9 months.

The 2 acquired alongside nicely, even coaching collectively within the house. Masvidal mentioned the deal can be that Covington paid him $300 per thirty days in hire, however Masvidal says he by no means obtained the cash.

“I am feeding him. I am the hand that gives the whole lot,” Masvidal mentioned. “He was a a lot completely different particular person. Would not dare say a foul factor to me or about me, ever. However as soon as the cash acquired concerned? Piece of s—.”

Covington doesn’t deny that he lived with Masvidal. However he needs to make clear that it was not Masvidal’s place — the house was paid for by Masvidal’s spouse, Maritza, per Covington.

“She did a lot for us arising,” Covington mentioned. “This wasn’t his sofa. He was a broke fighter – he was a loser. He did not don’t have any sponsors. He did not have big-money fights right now. … She gave us this roof over our head, she put meals on our desk, she cleaned the home for us on a regular basis.”

Covington and Masvidal had a pleasant ritual earlier than fights to check each other. When Masvidal was nearing competitors, Covington would purchase junk meals he knew Masvidal favored and he’d preserve it of their frequent space.

“Simply to f— with me,” Masvidal mentioned in a 2016 interview on “The MMA Hour.” “Simply so I needed to cross by it daily and see if I break. Then, I might do the identical factor to him.”

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• Jan. 28, 2017: Masvidal wins his third straight match with a TKO of Donald Cerrone, organising a title eliminator combat with Demian Maia.

• Could 13, 2017: Masvidal loses a good break up resolution to Maia.

• Oct. 28, 2017: Maia takes a combat towards Covington at residence in Brazil, with Covington successful to place himself on the precipice of a title shot.

• June 9, 2018: With Masvidal in his nook, Covington wins the UFC interim welterweight championship by defeating Rafael dos Anjos.

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IN 2018, AS the friendship between Covington and Masvidal grew a bit colder, their respective careers started to warmth up.

Masvidal was chosen to be on the favored Latin American actuality present “Exatlón Estados Unidos,” the place contestants compete in a collection of bodily and psychological checks. Taking part within the collection helped develop his profile and allowed him to refocus after a 15-year journey as a professional fighter.

“It sounds as corny as it might be, however being out away from everyone, simply on my own, I acquired to search out me,” Masvidal informed ESPN in 2019. “I acquired to simply hearken to my voice, not one million completely different opinions or some silly track on the radio or something.”

Masvidal didn’t combat in any respect in 2018. Covington, in the meantime, earned his first title shot, a bout for the interim belt towards Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 225 in June of that yr. He turned the No.1 contender eight months earlier by beating Demian Maia by way of a dominant unanimous resolution in Maia’s residence nation of Brazil. In his postfight speech, Covington blasted Brazilians, calling them “filthy animals.”

The seeds for that scene in Brazil had been planted after Covington’s victory over Dong Hyun Kim in June 2017. The win made Covington 7-1 within the UFC, however Lambert mentioned matchmaker Sean Shelby informed him Covington’s contract possible wouldn’t be renewed as a result of his wrestling-heavy fashion was not nice for enterprise. So Lambert went to Covington, and the 2 got here up with a pro wrestling-esque persona for Covington that featured a thick layer of trash discuss.

“The leadup to the dos Anjos combat with Colby was all about Brazil,” Lambert mentioned. “And that was the angle Colby took. That’s what acquired him to that promised land of getting a title shot, [what] saved his job.”

Covington beat dos Anjos with Masvidal in his nook, and the 2 celebrated the victory heartily afterward. That combat week ended up being on the middle of the flamable points between the 2, however on the time, issues had been good for each of them.

As Covington was ready for the undisputed title shot owed to him as interim champ, Masvidal returned to the Octagon in March 2019 with an enormous second-round knockout of Darren Until. After that bout, welterweight contender Leon Edwards exchanged phrases with Masvidal whereas Masvidal was being interviewed backstage. Nonetheless on digicam, Masvidal confronted Edwards and landed a number of punches.

Masvidal would say minutes later to ESPN that he hit Edwards with a “three-piece with the soda,” which rapidly turned a viral clip and oft-repeated catchphrase. Masvidal’s second within the highlight continued in July 2019 with a operating knee that knocked out Ben Askren in simply 5 seconds. It was the quickest knockout in UFC historical past.

In 4 months, Masvidal went from seasoned veteran with a hardcore fan following to one of many largest stars within the UFC.

Covington could not come to phrases with the UFC for a title shot and was stripped of the interim title in July 2018. He did not combat once more till August 2019, when he scored a dominant unanimous resolution win over former teammate and former champ Robbie Lawler. That victory made Covington’s case for a title alternative hermetic.

Masvidal and Covington, now two of the perfect and most talked about fighters on the UFC roster, ended up headlining the ultimate two occasions of 2019. Masvidal beat Nate Diaz to win the legendary Baddest Motherf—er title at UFC 244 in November at Madison Sq. Backyard. In December, Covington fell by way of fifth-round TKO to champion Kamaru Usman in an epic, back-and-forth welterweight title combat at UFC 245.

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• July 6, 2019: Masvidal KOs Ben Askren out in 5 seconds, the quickest combat in UFC historical past.

• Aug. 3, 2019: Covington wins his seventh straight combat with a choice victory over Robbie Lawler.

• Aug. 17, 2019: Covington and Masvidal exchange words whereas seated within the crowd at UFC 241.

• Nov. 2, 2019: Masvidal defeats Nate Diaz at UFC 244, successful the “BMF” title at Madison Sq. Backyard.

• Dec. 14, 2019: Covington will get his title shot towards Kamaru Usman, and is knocked out by the champion in Spherical 5. Covington earns Struggle of the Night time honors for the primary time in his profession.

• March 2020: Covington and Masvidal are kicked out of the American High Staff gymnasium. Masvidal finally returns, however Covington leaves for good.

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MASVIDAL’S HEAD COACH at ATT is Brown, however Paulino Hernandez, his boxing coach, is the one he credit for taking an opportunity on him when he was nonetheless a child combating within the streets within the Westchester neighborhood of Miami.

“Paulino is like my father,” Masvidal mentioned. “He isn’t only a coach to me. He is a dude that took me out from a really unhealthy, hostile setting and actually guided my entire profession. He mentioned, ‘You have got the expertise, simply your life exterior of here’s a f—ing mess. However in the event you can minimize all that out and simply come keep on with us and do that, I am with you on this entire journey.'”

Masvidal mentioned he and Hernandez had a handshake deal from then on that Masvidal would give Hernandez a small share, as much as 5%, of his combat earnings. At that early stage of Masvidal’s profession, that added as much as solely about $50 per combat. When Masvidal began coaching with Covington in 2011, he set Covington up with Hernandez. The 2 shook on the identical deal, Masvidal mentioned.

Covington’s first massive payday got here within the dos Anjos combat. Based mostly on Masvidal’s understanding of the unique cope with Hernandez, Covington owed the coach $12,500. Masvidal mentioned Covington did not pay Hernandez in any respect. He mentioned he requested Covington on a number of events why Hernandez did not get his cash, and Covington both prevented the dialog or did not give a straight reply. Masvidal ended up paying Hernandez the $12,500 out of his pocket, feeling obligated as a result of he was the one who launched Covington and Hernandez.

“That is when our relationship went bitter,” Masvidal mentioned of Covington. “That is after I needed to get the bat and take it to his neck.”

Covington mentioned Hernandez and Masvidal thought he made $380,00Zero for the dos Anjos combat as a result of web sites erroneously reported it. The precise whole he earned for that bout, Covington mentioned, was $200,000. Hernandez, in keeping with Covington, needed a share of the pretend quantity.

“It was by no means over cash,” Covington mentioned. “Jorge is greedy at straws. He has nothing else to say.”

From Covington’s perspective, the strain has been because of Masvidal being jealous of his former roommate outperforming him within the octagon.

When Covington returned from the Maia combat in Brazil, he mentioned, he felt a coldness coming from Masvidal. Covington speculates that it is as a result of Masvidal had come up quick in his combat with Maia 5 months earlier. At one level, Covington mentioned Masvidal informed him in the event that they needed to combat one another, it was OK. For Covington, the considered combating his pal had by no means entered his thoughts.

“It damage,” Covington mentioned, addressing the genuineness of their relationship. “I gave lots to him. I put my profession on the again burner at first. I used to be simply his coaching accomplice. It wasn’t about my profession. I did not even take into consideration fights. All I thought of was making ready Jorge for his subsequent combat.”

By the point of the dos Anjos combat Covington had already rubbed individuals at ATT the incorrect manner — particularly his Brazilian teammates. Lambert known as a gathering with coaches and fighters to try to preserve issues civil.

“Colby may say Brazil is a dump, and also you guys may suppose Colby’s an a–hole – and also you may each be proper,” Lambert mentioned he informed everybody within the gymnasium. “However the truth of the matter is whenever you’re within the gymnasium, you are within the gymnasium and we’re right here to do a job.”

Brazilians had been the goal of Covington’s trash discuss to advertise the dos Anjos combat. Covington, the ardent card participant, went all-in with no opponent set, and his relationships on the gymnasium had been rocky at finest. From UFC president Dana White to his personal ATT teammates to finally Masvidal, Covington verbally tore down “actually everyone within the enterprise,” Lambert mentioned.

“I simply see him as like a wounded little boy, like the child on the playground who nobody would play with,” Harrison mentioned. “So now, he is become a f—ing monster.”

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• July 12, 2020: Masvidal takes a last-minute title combat towards Usman in Abu Dhabi. It is his first UFC title shot, and Masvidal loses by unanimous resolution.

• Sept. 19, 2020: Covington returns to the Octagon and data a victory over longtime rival and former champ Tyron Woodley.

• April 24, 2021: In his rematch towards Usman, Masvidal loses by second-round KO.

• Nov. 6, 2021, Covington will get his title rematch towards Usman, dropping by way of unanimous resolution.

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COVINGTON STILL REFERRED to Masvidal as his “finest pal” in interviews as much as the summer season of 2019, earlier than Covington’s combat towards Lawler. The tone of his phrases had modified although, with each males now contenders for the welterweight title following Masvidal’s historic knockout of Askren.

In an interview with MMA Junkie in July 2019, Covington mentioned he and Masvidal had been like Batman and Robin. Particularly, Covington mentioned he was Batman and Masvidal was his sidekick. It was the primary time Covington publicly mentioned one thing that Masvidal might understand as unfavorable towards his former pal.

The 2 had been each within the crowd at UFC 241 in Anaheim, California, in August 2019. Masvidal was seated behind Covington and tapped Covington on the shoulder.

“What’s all that s— speaking, bro?” Masvidal mentioned he requested Covington. “We’re each males. You have acquired my cellphone quantity. Why do not we go exterior and simply discuss like males?”

Covington informed him he was “unprofessional” for making an attempt to combat him at a UFC occasion. White acquired concerned, and safety modified Masvidal’s seat. Masvidal mentioned three safety guards flanked him for the remainder of the cardboard.

“Act like an expert,” Covington later mentioned. “We’re at a UFC occasion, man. When have I ever laid fingers on somebody? I can beat up anyone within the crowd, any of the fighters. None of them can contact me, I am the perfect fighter on this planet. However I deal with my enterprise within the cage. That is the place I do my enterprise: within the UFC Octagon.”

A number of weeks later, they noticed one another on the gymnasium, which spurred the confrontation that finally ended with Masvidal saying he invited Covington to the sushi dinner. Covington mentioned that story is “the largest lie” he is ever heard however remembers that Masvidal mentioned they might settle issues within the car parking zone of a close-by Publix, a Florida grocery store chain.

Masvidal was not the one ATT fighter to conflict with Covington throughout that interval.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk, the previous UFC strawweight champion, mentioned she went into the ladies’s locker room on the gymnasium sooner or later within the fall of 2019 and located ladies in bikinis making ready to be in a video shoot for Covington’s social media web page. Jedrzejczyk was upset that non-fighters had been on the gymnasium — ATT is just not open to the general public — taking on house in locations she felt they should not be. She was already aggravated that Covington was displaying as much as the gymnasium in a rented limousine and having individuals maintain doorways for him, all for Instagram movies. This was the ultimate straw.

“We practice right here,” Jedrzejczyk mentioned she informed him. “You may’t act such as you’re the superhero millionaire — you’re a zero. You’re a nice athlete, so preserve it humble and work onerous. That is it.”

Covington additionally had a run-in with then-teammate Dustin Poirier, the previous UFC interim light-weight champion, who took situation with callous issues Covington was saying about him in interviews. Poirier approached Covington whereas he was coaching with the intent to combat him, however teammates separated the 2. Covington mentioned these incidents each occurred solely after Jedrzejczyk and Poirier began speaking negatively about him within the media, not the opposite manner round.

“If I am combating Colby, we’re each going to jail,” Poirier mentioned final month at UFC 271. “I’ll jail. I am not going to combat him in an Octagon. He isn’t creating wealth off of my profession and what I’ve completed.”

To keep away from a confrontation with different fighters — particularly Masvidal — coaches modified Covington’s coaching occasions and the place he labored out within the gymnasium.

“In the event that they had been in the identical constructing, Jorge was gonna go after him,” Brown mentioned. “We would need to cease the whole lot, put all fingers on deck, separate these guys. It is a main drawback. If individuals aren’t there, they’re combating 100%.”

Issues lastly got here to a head in March 2020 when Lambert instituted a rule that no ATT members can trash discuss one another. Masvidal broke the rule inside days, tweeting that Covington was “essentially the most fragile” and “most delicate man” in UFC historical past. Masvidal was upset that Lambert made the rule solely after Covington had spent almost a yr blasting teammates within the press.

When he noticed the tweet, Lambert instantly took out his cellphone and messaged Masvidal and Covington in a bunch textual content. He threw them each off the workforce.

“I favored you guys a hell of lots higher whenever you had been broke and cared in regards to the workforce as an alternative of simply yourselves,” Lambert mentioned he wrote. “Neither one in all you may come again to the gymnasium. I hope you find yourself combating one another and beating the residing s— out of one another.”

Lambert mentioned Covington responded instantly by way of textual content, writing he understood Lambert’s resolution and thanked him for the whole lot he had completed for him. Lambert had additionally been appearing as Covington’s agent for years. Masvidal known as Lambert a couple of minutes later, saying he couldn’t throw him out of the gymnasium after greater than a decade there. He mentioned he’d be there tomorrow, as common. Lambert put his foot down, saying, “there’s nothing we are able to do about it.”

For about three months, Masvidal stayed away, coaching in Miami with Hernandez and Brown, who would make the hour-plus trek from the Coconut Creek space to work with Masvidal. In the end, Lambert agreed to convey Masvidal again to ATT on the behest of Brown — and Lambert’s youngsters, who had stopped speaking to their father due to how shut his children are with Masvidal.

“One among his favourite daughters, Amanda, and his son Alex?” Masvidal mentioned. “Not speaking to him? He is like, ‘Are you f—ing kidding me?'”

Covington by no means returned, as an alternative opting to do his coaching camps at MMA Masters in Miami.

“There was just one man that went again begging, crying,” Covington mentioned, referring to Masvidal.

Covington’s departure got here as a aid to many on the workforce.

“Identical to any individual, like a Hollywood actor, swiftly will get all this fortune and fame, and so they begin believing all of the pats on their backs and the whole lot individuals [are] telling them — it is simple to [fall] into that entice,” Guerriero mentioned of Covington. “After which that is who you’re, you understand? And I feel his character turned who he’s.”

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• Jan. 7, 2022: Masvidal, utilizing colourful language, calls out Covington for a combat.

• Jan. 11, 2022: Masvidal-Covington is about for UFC 272 on March 5

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COVINGTON ESTIMATES THAT he and Masvidal have sparred about 1,00Zero rounds collectively. And Covington says Masvidal “has by no means received one second of a kind of rounds.”

“He is aware of deep down inside,” Covington mentioned. “He can preserve appearing like this macho man from Miami.”

Covington, 34, is a heavy -310 favourite at UFC 272. That may be owed to how shut he fought Usman, ESPN’s high pound-for-pound fighter, and his glorious wrestling, which has been a driving pressure behind him successful eight of his final ten fights.

To counter that, Masvidal has been coaching at ATT with Bo Nickal, a three-time NCAA nationwide champion wrestler out of Penn State College.

“It is about me being environment friendly and also you losing extra vitality than I am losing when you’re making an attempt to carry me down,” Masvidal mentioned. “So, after I get to my ft, I am nonetheless contemporary and I can throw these rocks at your face.”

Brown mentioned Covington’s depiction of how sparring went with Masvidal is not essentially correct. The coach mentioned when the 2 males would wrestle, Covington “would get the higher” of Masvidal. However when sparring in all areas of MMA — hanging, wrestling and grappling — guys like Masvidal and Lawler would go “super-easy” on Covington.

“They had been gentle years forward of him hanging,” Brown mentioned. “Clearly, it is unhealthy etiquette to KO your pal and teammate.”

Covington mentioned one of many causes he is completely happy he is now not at ATT is that he might discover coaches Daniel Valverde and Cesar Carneiro at MMA Masters. Covington mentioned his hanging “went to a different stage” after leaving.

It will not matter who got here out on high in these gymnasium periods years in the past on Saturday. Each Covington and Masvidal are two of the highest welterweights on this planet now, with an intense want to win this combat. Not only for rankings or future title photographs. However for pleasure. For South Florida bragging rights. For the fitting to say, “I am the higher man.”

“I am gonna rise to superstardom,” Covington mentioned. “I am gonna get my title. And his profession is gonna be over. That is his final paycheck. That is his final massive combat. … He isn’t gonna be the identical particular person after I am completed with him on Saturday evening.”

Masvidal, although, can not help however suppose again on his invitation to Covington for sushi greater than two years in the past. What would have occurred if Covington confirmed up? And why did not he?

“I’ve all the time identified deep down inside he is a coward, man,” Masvidal mentioned. “And I simply can’t await March 5 to show it.”