UFC 272: Dana White says there has ‘never been a bigger grudge match’ than Jorge Masvidal vs Colby Covington
- ‘I didn’t get into this business to make friends,’ Masvidal says ahead of Saturday’s main event against former teammate
- ‘He’s not going to be able to run his mouth any more,’ Covington says as rivals look to settle their differences
UFC president Dana White believes the imminent fight between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington is the biggest grudge match in the company’s history.
Masvidal and Covington, 37 and 34 respectively, were once close friends and training partners at American Top Team in Florida. The two Americans even lived together for a period. But the pair gradually became rivals and will look to settle their differences in the five-round welterweight main event of UFC 272 this Saturday in Las Vegas.
“I don’t know if there’s ever been a bigger grudge match than this,” White told Barstool Sports ahead of the card. “When you look at how deep it is with this these two, these are guys that were actually friends, actually really lived together, cornered each other, trained together. I don’t know if there’s ever been a scenario like this before.”
White acknowledged that the UFC has promoted several heated grudge matches over the years, but suspects Masvidal vs Covington beats all others, including a sizzling 2012 light heavyweight fight between estranged training partners Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.
“Rashad and Jon Jones – they were friends, but it’s not like they were really friends,” he said. “They trained together. [Masvidal vs Covington] is the real deal.”
Masvidal has never made any secret of his disdain for Covington, and that has not changed in the thick of fight week.
“I didn’t get into this business to make my friends,” Masvidal told ESPN recently. “I got into this business to provide for me, my kids, my mom and my dad. If I make friends, awesome. But I got into this business to break faces and collect big paycheques and be the best fighter in the world.
