JORGE MASVIDAL's friendship with Colby Covington was broken by a nearly four-year-old dispute over pay.
Tonight, the former "best friends" and room-mates of UFC 272 will meet in a thrilling pay-per view showdown in Las Vegas.
Jorge Masvidal will face Colby Covington in the main event at UFC 272
Since Covington's win as interim welterweight champion at UFC 225, June 2018, the bad blood between them has been simmering.
Paulino Hernandez trained Masvidal for the fight, and Covington allegedly bribed Masvidal's long-time strike coach with a $12,500 check.
Masvidal, who had witnessed Covington turn into a WWE heel, saw that as the straw that broke the camel’s back.
ESPN quoted him as saying: "I was already like. Let me start separating myself slowly from this guy, and then, 'Bam!
"Before he could even like fully (separate)," he betrayed me.
"I didn't pay him the money he agreed to and I knew that I was going to hurt him."
Hernandez claims that Hernandez received $5,000 of his $17,500 promised paycheque. He cut all ties to Covington after it became clear that he would not be paid in full.
He said to MMA Junkie, "Jorge told us, 'Hey! He is telling me that Covington will be making a lot of money, and that it won't be enough money for him.
"(Masvidal), told me that (Covington), didn't want the money. I assured him that I would finish the job with him and that I would do the final training. I wanted him to be the champion.
"It's the same gym. The gym is always on the lookout for new champions.
He's a great fighter, and had the opportunity to put on an impressive performance. He was going to win the interim championship.
"We worked with him and gave him the chance.
"When it came to paying, to think and to come with the agreed amount, he didn’t do it. That was it.
Masvidal's and Hernandez's claims have been rebuffed by Covington, who insists that his purse for UFC 225 only a fraction of what was disclosed.
ESPN quoted him as saying: "That night, that paycheque was made, I got paid for what it said. According to the commission, I earned twice what I claimed.
"I was paid half of that [disclosed purse]"
Covington has taken multiple shots at Masvidal online and in the media since his dismissal of Hernandez.
The UFC's BMF champion, Covington, didn't surprise that Covington had incinerated their friendship.
He stated that he would look for signs in his treatment of his family, his talk about his sister and his mom.
There are three sides to any story: theirs, yours and the truth. So I was thinking, "This guy's interesting."
"Tyron woodley brought him out. He gave him $1,000 per week. This was crazy for a guy who was just starting out, and he was only training with him for four weeks.
"Sponsors and food, then he just came home talking s*** about Woodley negatively."
Hernandez and Mike Brown, a long-time coach, will hold Masvidal hostage for the Battle of Miami. He has vile intentions.
He stated that he was doing it for Hernandez and that he was doing it for himself. This man is a b***h, and I can't WAIT to see the proof tomorrow."
