LAS VEGAS – The relationship of friends-turned-enemies Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal is well-documented.
There’s a lot of pent-up vitriol inside both men. At the UFC 272 pre-fight news conference Thursday, they had the opportunity to release it publicly toward one another face-to-face for the first time.
Insults ranging from “d*cksniffer” to “deadbeat f*cking dad” flew often. Police officers, promotion security, and UFC president Dana White lined the stage, ready to intercept any move toward a physical altercation. At one point, all mentioned intervened and sponsor objects including water bottles were removed from the table to avoid potentially being used as a weapon.
For the duration of the 30-minute news conference, Masvidal and Covington fielded questions from the media, but mostly talked over one another with insults. Covington focused on Masvidal’s family, dropping his other half’s name multiple times and demeaning Saturday’s opponent’s ability to father.
Meanwhile, Masvidal sat behind a briefcase, which contained a UFC trading card of Covington that Masvidal previously burned with a lighter, and a screen playing a video of the moment on a loop.
Masvidal talked up his pay for this fight, the first on a newly-inked deal that his manager Malki Kawa, of First Round Management, claimed Thursday makes him one of the highest-paid athletes in the sport.
Dirty laundry airing continued when Covington accused his former coach, and Masvidal’s current coach, former WEC champion Mike Brown, of American Top Team, of using steroids during his fighting career.
There was also competition for who was former United States president Donald Trump’s favorite fighter. Covington visited the White House and received post-fight phone calls from former president Trump during his time in office. Meanwhile, Masvidal campaigned for former president Trump in Florida, after former president Trump attended his fight against Nate Diaz at UFC 244 in November 2019.
The news conference concluded with a faceoff from a distance, as White didn’t allow the two bitter rivals to get within swiping reach.
Check out the full UFC 272 news conference video above.