Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington incessantly traded insults on Thursday at the pre-fight press conference for their UFC 272 main event, with security guards watching closely as the rivals baited one another.
Masvidal and Covington were long-time friends and training partners, even living together before their relationship devolved into a bitter rivalry that saw both fighters kicked out of American Top Team.
Masvidal has since returned to the gym, however, where he has been training for this Saturday’s clash with Covington at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena. Masvidal, 37, is a two-time welterweight title challenger, while 34-year-old Covington previously held the division’s interim belt.
It is rare for a non-title bout to headline a UFC pay-per-view, but such is the severity of Masvidal and Covington’s mutual bitterness that this long-awaited contest will main event on Saturday, and fans got a first-hand glimpse of the Americans’ rivalry at the pre-fight press conference on Thursday.
“You ain’t gonna do s***, bro, stop acting tough,” Masvidal told Covington at the start of the event, which saw the pair trade non-stop, expletive-laden insults for the best part of half an hour.
“You’re such a f*****g bum,” Covington replied. “This is going to be easy work.”
Covington derided Masvidal’s parenting skills and relationship with his wife, while Masvidal doubled down on his allegations that his rival had not fully paid a former coach.
“Shut the f*** up, b***h,” Masvidal said repeatedly throughout the press conference as Covington taunted him, before UFC president Dana White ensured the fighters could not get close to one another during the face-off.
All throughout the event, security guards kept watch to ensure Covington and Masvidal’s verbal attacks did not give way to physical violence.
