Jorge Masvidal says he will be all business on Saturday night when he faces off against Colby Covington, but he’ll take a sense of personal satisfaction from putting his former friend and training partner in his place.
The pair are set to clash in a grudge match in the main event of UFC 272 on Saturday night in Las Vegas, and the 50-fight veteran said that he’s ready to deliver a statement-making performance.
“Nothing’s personal, but this is as close as it comes to it,” he told reporters at UFC 272 media day.
“For many reasons I want to hurt this guy like I’ve never hurt nobody before.
“Why are you talking about my kids? There’s kids, religion, people’s wives – I think that’s beneath us. Let other people, other sports do that. We don’t need to do that.
“When it’s two men getting in that cage, or two women getting in that cage, you don’t need to do it. We’re going to fight, and we’re going to find out.”
Despite the bad blood between the pair, Masvidal said he sees the fight as an opportunity to settle a score, but he also stated that he won’t place too much stock in a victory over Covington, even though victory would push him back toward a possible title shot at 170 pounds.
“In my victories, it will put me as a number one contender and I’ll be competing for the title shortly after, so that’s definitely a plus,” he admitted.
“But, as far as having beaten great fighters and stuff, I won’t even talk to my grandkids about this guy. It’ll just be some personal stuff. I beat this guy up and some dude I never really liked, and that’s it.
“But as far as accomplishments go, no. He won’t rank up there as far as accomplishments. I don’t like his style, how he fights.”
And, while Masvidal was definitive in his assessment of how the fight would pan out on Saturday night.
“I think I’m going to make it look very easy come Saturday night and people are not going to even give me credit,” he said.
“They’re going to be like, yeah, I guess Masvidal was right. Colby’s overrated, over-ranked and a piece of sh*t individual.”
Masvidal’s signature win came in a grudge match, when he starched Ben Askren with a flying knee five seconds into their bout at UFC 239 in July 2019.
And “Gamebred” said he hopes to produce something equally emphatic against Covington.
“I got a very similar plan for Colby,” he smiled.
“It starts violent and ends even more violent.”
And Masvidal squashed any thoughts that the pair could bury the hatchet after their matchup, saying, “He’s not going to come and shake my hand under no circumstances.
“I’ll tell you the first thing why – because he’s going to be heading to the hospital.”
