Jorge Masvidal’s beef with Colby Covington is far from over.
Neither Masvidal (35-16 MMA, 12-9 UFC) nor Covington (17-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) have competed since they shared the octagon in one of the biggest grudge matches in recent history at UFC 272 in March 2022. The former friends, roommates and training partners saw their relationship rapidly dissolve until they became bitter enemies, which finally led to a fight.
It was a relatively anti-climactic contest, with Covington leaning on a wrestling-heavy game plan to win a unanimous decision at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It was what happened in the aftermath of the bout, though, that became the biggest storyline of all.
Just 14 days after the fight, Masvidal allegedly plotted and acted out an attack on Covington outside a Miami steakhouse. He allegedly blindsided Covington while hiding his identity, chipping the tooth of “Chaos” and damaging an expensive watch. Charges were pressed, police camera footage surfaced and the legal situation is still ongoing, and a pre-trial hearing is set for May 10, with trail set to begin on May 22.
None of that has apparently served as a deterrent to Masvidal, though. The bad blood with Covington still looms large on his end, and Masvidal said on a recent episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast that he’s determined to get another shot to unleash his hatred in a sanctioned environment.
“I didn’t get him that time (at UFC 272), but I promise you: Before my career’s over, I’m gonna f*cking murder Colby in the cage. Legally,” Masvidal told Rogan. “Allegedly a lot of things happened (illegally). I don’t know, they’re saying a lot of things, but it’s all allegedly. Sh*t, man. I don’t know what they’re talking about, man. But legally, in the cage, in the UFC, I’m gonna f*cking snatch his soul one way or another.”
According to Masvidal, he wasn’t able to put his best foot forward during his first in-cage encounter with Covington. He didn’t reveal exactly which issues were plaguing him, but made it clear he wasn’t at 100 percent.
Before any talk of a rematch is taken seriously, though, Masvidal and Covington must handle their individual business.
Masvidal is set to return to competition at UFC 287 on April 8 when he meets Gilbert Burns in the welterweight co-headliner in Miami. Covington, meanwhile, has been named by UFC president Dana White as the next challenger to reigning 170-pound champ Leon Edwards.
What happens after those matchups remains to be seen, but Masvidal’s feud with Covington remains near the forefront of his mind.
“I wanted to f*cking kill him, I wanted to hurt him,” Masvidal said. “It just wasn’t the best version of me. In this sport – it’s what I love about it – what happened happened, and everything else is bullsh*t, right? So, until we fight again, nobody will get to see that better version of me. But I promise you, before I close this chapter in my life in MMA, I will have competed against this guy and I’m gonna f*cking take his soul.
“I just know it after being those five rounds in there with him and that was the best that he had and I was nowhere near my best at that time for different reasons. I know I could f*cking end this guy.”
