American Top Team (ATT) owner Dan Lambert is no longer co-managing Colby Covington.
Covington and Lambert are extremely close with the latter not only serving as his gym owner, but also managing him over the years. Things even remained amicable when Covington decided he needed a change in management and decided to go with Ballengee Group.
It was revealed that Lambert would still be co-managing him at the time. However, that is no longer the case anymore, especially after Covington’s recent departure from ATT.
“I have not talked to Colby for probably a couple of months,” Lambert told BJPenn.com after revealing he no longer managed him. “Once he made the announcement that he was going to leave [ATT], I haven’t spoken to him.
“But, I know I will, I have no ill-will towards Colby. I think he made the right decision for him and his career doing his own thing. Colby did his own thing when he was here anyway.”
Trash Talk Rule Still In Effect Since Covington Departure
Covington had been a longtime member of ATT, but things turned hostile when he started trash talking fellow teammates such as Jorge Masvidal, Dustin Poirier and Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
It reached a point where Covington had to be worried about getting into fights at the gym while Lambert later had to implement a zero tolerance policy on trash talking between ATT teammates.
The rule is still in effect since Covington’s departure, but is now unlikely to be broken according to Lambert.
“I guess it is still a rule but it is a rule you don’t need without Colby being there,” Lambert added. “We have had a lot of people fight each other without an issue. But, it became an issue because Colby is a polarizing figure and he has a unique personality and a unique marketing approach.
“It made life a little difficult. I think it worked for Colby as he made more money and got farther in his career, but I don’t know if he needed that character inside our gym. Personally, he should’ve stuck on sh*tting on Brazil and supporting Donald Trump.”
It’s hard to say if sticking to the Brazil insults would have changed things — especially given how many Brazilians at ATT were not pleased with Covington’s antics.
Regardless, what do you think of Lambert no longer co-managing Covington?