Were Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington friends?

Jorge Masvidal (left) and Colby Covington (right) [Image Courtesy: @gamebredfighter and @colbycovmma on Instagram]

Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington have shared quite a relationship over the years. The former teammates and close friends are now bitter rivals. They are set to finally settle their rivalry in the octagon at UFC 272 on March 5th.

Breaking: Former friends turned foes Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington will headline UFC 272 on March 5, UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell told @bokamotoESPN.

(via @espnmma) https://t.co/b3uubBMLEs

Covington and Masvidal initially crossed paths at the American Top Team (ATT) gym in Florida, where they trained together for years. The duo went on to become best friends and flatmates, but eventually grew apart.

From friends to #UFC272 opponents 🤝➡️👊

(via @GamebredFighter) https://t.co/8XNuFvUAuH

In the first half of 2020, Covington left ATT because of a rift between himself and multiple members of the gym. It was later revealed by Masvidal that an altercation between himself and 'Chaos' saw both of them get kicked out of the training facility.

However, 'Gamebred' was brought back in. Meanwhile, Covington went on to join MMA Masters, another renowned MMA gym in Florida.

The exact origin of the feud between the two is unknown. Covington has shared his side of the story in the past, crediting Masvidal's ego as the reason for their split. The former interim welterweight champion said:

"It was 3 years ago or 2 and half years ago when I was in the locker room and I'd just beat Rafael dos Anjos for the interim title and the President had called me that day. I think he [Masvidal] saw all the hype I was generating and he didn't like that. He has a big ego and he couldn't put his ego aside for the friendship. He didn't like that I was getting the spotlight more and I was rising above him in the ranks."

Watch Covington discuss the origins of his feud with Masvidal below:

Colby Covington opens up as betting favorite against Jorge Masvidal

The highly anticipated grudge matchup between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal will take center stage at UFC 272. With the fight roughly two months away, 'Chaos' has opened up as an early favorite to win the bout.

Here are the opening odds for Jorge Masvidal vs. Colby Covington:

Jorge Masvidal +250 (5/2)
Colby Covington -300 (1/3)

(odds via @betonline_ag) 😤 #UFC272 https://t.co/mg82exnSYh

As per the odds released by BetOnline, Covington has opened up as a -300 favorite to win the fight. On the flipside, Masvidal opened as a +250 underdog.

In an interview with MMA News, 'Chaos' said he would knock Masvidal out cold when the two UFC welterweights eventually lock horns. When asked how a clash between the two former friends would play out, the polarizing welterweight exclaimed:

"Oh, without a doubt I would spark him unconscious. He has got like 20 losses on his record so I feel bad about picking on a journeyman, but they [UFC] hyped him up."

Watch the full interview below: (Time stamp when he talks about Masvidal: 15:07)