Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington probably made a preview of their performances during UFC 272 promotion week, arguing constantly during an ESPN interview with Stephen A. Smith.
As Smith noted before releasing the tape to the pre-recorded location, “interview” was a generous term for what was ultimately interrupted by a stream of threats and insults as Masvidal and Covington talked to each other.
Masvidal told his former roommate and rival that “you will be in the emergency room in critical condition” two days after the event with paid viewing on Saturday in Las Vegas. He predicts that Covington “will suffocate my crotch all night” to avoid a fistfight.
Covington, meanwhile, told Smith, “I don’t want to knock him out. I’ll hurt him so bad you won’t be the same person after I’m done with you. I guarantee you will fall into a coma, s * ko. ”
Covington went back to the history of Masvidal’s battles, citing the losses of rivals Toby Imada, Gilbert Melendez and Al Yakinta. He declared himself “I am a fighter № 1 pound for a pound in the world”, which made Masvidal laugh out loud.
“Usman just killed you, stupid grandfather,” Masvidal shouted.
“Are you still sleeping?” Covington replied.
Leaving aside the death threats and insults, Masvidal and Smith tried to get Covington’s response to Masvidal’s claim that he broke their former mutual coach Paulino Hernandez by $ 12,500, forcing Masvidal to pay the bill before distancing himself from Ko. the audience to get lost.
Covington did not address the accusation directly, but said he had done nothing wrong to Hernandez.
“[American Top Team owner and former Covington manager] “Dan Lambert knows how much I paid,” Covington said. “The night I made that salary, I got half of what I said, the commission said I did twice as much as I said. I paid half that. Everything he says, he just talks and doesn’t walk. “
Earlier, Masvidal told ESPN that the non-payment stemmed from Covington’s winning battle against Rafael dos Agnos at UFC 225, which took place in Chicago. The Illinois Athletic Council does not publicly disclose fighter pay; Hernandez said MMA addict Covington received $ 350,000 and said he received $ 5,000, very little of the percentage he said was verbally agreed.
Smith asked Masvidal what would happen if he lost to Covington, who, like him, failed twice against current welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.
“I can’t – I will not lose this match,” Masvidal. “I will never lose from this fake bastard. It just won’t happen. But after I break his face, I will come back here and give you the exclusive interview and tell you a lot more nonsense about this man. “
“You can talk tonight,” Covington said. “We’ll see who speaks on March 5, only if you pay to watch.”