Masvidal and Covington Feud Continues to Erupt

Former besties and team-mates Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal have continued to threaten each other in public, in an escalation of their ring rivalry. 

Despite formerly being on the same side, the rise to fame for both the stars has turned them on each other, with both vying for top billing.

A recent press conference ahead of UFC 272 turned into a volatile affair with both men shouting expletives and threatening each other across the room.

Fight fans will be very familiar with rivals showing some hostility on the lead-up to fights, with arguments in the pre-fight presser fairly common. But what seems less common between Masvidal and Covington is that the hostility appears to be wholly genuine and unrelated to the fight that's about to take place. 

During the recent media appearance, UFC President Dana White had a tough job on his hands, with the two fighters determined to transform the event into an opportunity to insult each other and make threats.

Despite many attempts from White to bring the presser back on track, both Covington and Masvidal were guilty of derailing the conversation to make jibes at their opponent and even to threaten each other at various points.

The two welterweights were so determined to talk over each other and mock answers that no questions got answered in the recent joint media appearance. Sports journalists will have left with more to write about the fighters’ beef than their preparation for the ring.

It would be easy to point to the pair’s similar rise to the top as the reason for their hostility, with both jostling for prime position in the field.

However, Masvidal insisted that he saw what Covington was really like when they trained together and had deliberately distanced himself even before leaving their gym. 

These two fighters weren't just fighters who the same company represented; they had a close friendship, knew each other's families and even lived together. Therefore, there were plenty of opportunities to get to know each other intimately - and according to Masvidal, that's the problem.

Masvidal says that Covington treated his own family poorly, being unpleasant about his mum and his sister. He says this gave him a warning that things were not as they originally appeared. 

A drawn-out saga with their coach, Tyron Woodley, was the final straw for Masvidal after Covington failed to pay back money as promised. Masvidal claims that Covington didn't show any respect for Woodley's support in the early days and didn't repay the funds that Woodley was owed. 

For Masvidal, a lack of loyalty was enough for him to cut ties with Covington, and it's this former personal relationship that is behind the acrimony. With the two facing off backstage even before the cameras started rolling, there's absolutely no doubt that when the punches start to fly in the ring, they will be for real.