Jorge Masvidal may have gotten into a backstage fight with Leon Edwards, but he never held a grudge against the reigning UFC welterweight champion.
Masvidal certainly can’t say the same about his former friend and teammate, Colby Covington.
The one-time “BMF” champion, who in April retired from competition, addressed two of his most famous beefs on Jake Paul’s B.S. video podcast. Despite punches thrown during an altercation between the UFC welterweights at a UFC London card in 2019, Masvidal said he never actually held anything against Edwards — it was just a volatile situation that had to be handled.
“With me and Leon, it was never personal,” Masvidal said. “He just crossed a line, like, bro, I’m doing an interview, you’re trying to punk me again. That’s not going to happen. He’s already talking wild and s*** on Twitter, but I don’t have nothing personal.
“Colby’s just a different situation. That motherf*****, I just don’t like his ass.”
The relationship between Masvidal and Covington dissolved after they were once close friends and teammates while both trained together at American Top Team in Florida. Bad blood boiled after Masvidal alleged that Covington used his boxing coach for several fights and failed to pay him a percentage of his purse after he started making better money in the UFC.
From there, the trash talk ratcheted up until they were finally booked in a fight at UFC 272, which Covington won by unanimous decision. Masvidal competed one more time in his fight with Gilbert Burns in April before announcing his retirement from the sport.
Masvidal was also involved in an alleged assault on Covington outside a steakhouse in Miami a few weeks after their fight back in 2022. He was eventually arrested and hit with several felony charges, including aggravated battery and criminal mischief.
The case is still winding its way through the legal system, but regardless of how that all turns out, Masvidal said there’s never going to be a scenario where he mends fences with Covington.
“That dude and me will never be cool, just because he brought up my kids in numerous situations,” Masvidal said. “He brought up things from my life, and that motherf***** lived on my couch for like eight months. He had like one or two pro fights, broke his hand, couldn’t f****** afford rent or nothing.
“I was already 20 fights in the game. My f****** apartment, you’re staying on my f****** couch, and then to sell a pay-per-view, you’re talking s*** to me? That’s crazy, dog. You’re a b****. That shows the type of person you are, and the whole world knows it.
“On top of that, [Colby] ripped off my coach of the five percent that he owed him per fight when he finally made a check. Instead of paying out my coach, what did he do? Skipped out of town. F*** you twice motherf*****. That’s my coach.”
As much as Masvidal might despise Covington personally, he’s not looking to revisit their fight — at least not the one that took place in the UFC — unless there’s a significant amount of money up for grabs. Masvidal said he’s staying retired, but if the UFC ever calls for a comeback, he’s not worried about any opponent as much as the number attached to his bout agreement.
“I don’t give a f*** about the names,” Masvidal said. “How much zeroes are attached to that name, all right let’s go.”
But what about running into Covington again outside the cage? Well, Masvidal already has an idea how that might go.
“He’s a b****,” Masvidal said. “If he were here right now, he’d run the f*** out.”
