UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington and Dustin Poirier used to be gym teammates, but things have soured in recent years.
Covington is coming off a loss to Kamaru Usman in a rematch at UFC 268 but is looking ahead to a possible active 2022. He is awaiting his next opponent, which could be Poirier, who recently revealed he’s moving to 170 pounds.
During a recent interview with MMA News, Covington explained what his past sparring sessions were like with Poirier at American Top Team.
“I used to smack him around so many times in sparring back in the day,” Covington said. “I mean, for years, smacking him. He’d literally leave the gym crying. He’d go to Mike Brown, just crying, I can’t beat him, why’s his cardio so good, why does he just keep punching me in the face, I can’t do it.
“I’ve had him literally leaving the gym more time than I can count on both hands. So I’ve already embarrassed him. He knows who daddy is. He knows who the real champ is. He knows who’s better. I wouldn’t care (if I never get to fight Poirier in the Octagon).” (h/t BJPenn)
Colby Covington Could Face Dustin Poirier Next
Covington and Poirier are both awaiting their next opponents in the octagon. Both men lost their second shots at UFC gold, with Poirier losing to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269.
Covington left ATT after reported run-ins with Poirier and Jorge Masvidal, another former friend of his and a fellow welterweight contender. He ended up joining MMA Masters in south Florida, where he’s the focus of the gym.
The animosity between Poirier and Covington doesn’t appear to be going anyway anytime soon, as alluded to in Poirier’s Christmas tweet. The two of them could match up in the UFC sooner rather than later.
Who would win a fight between Colby Covington and Dustin Poirier?