‘He can shut the lights off’ – Colby Covington vs Jorge Masvidal predictions as rivals prepare for UFC 272 main event

After years of bad blood, Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal are going to fight at UFC 272.

The bout 5 March bout is the culmination of two very close friends who used to live and train together finally meeting in the octagon after a bitter divorce.

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Covington and Masvidal have both come up short in their quest to dethrone UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in recent years, with both losing in their attempts - and Covington even having his jaw broken for trying.

This fight is one of the most personal, bad blood battles the UFC has to offer, so how is it going to go? Here's what the great and the good had to say.

Kamaru Usman, UFC welterweight champion: Masvidal

"I think [Masvidal] could potentially win the fight because one thing about Masvidal is he’s one of the only guys who in his stance, he’s so tall in his stance – but he’s able to defend takedowns from some of the best wrestlers," he told ESPN.

"He’s very, very good at striking – so relaxed – and is so fast and he’s able to touch you.

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"He might not feel as hard, but he can touch that button to be able to shut the lights off.

"I mean, being able to run across the octagon in five seconds, land a knee like that (against Ben Askren) just shows a different level of athleticism.

";He’s a skilled fighter, and he definitely has the tools to be able to land that shot to steal this fight away from Covington.

";So I’m excited. I can’t wait, I will be there. I haven’t been to a fight in a long time."

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Tyron Woodley, former UFC welterweight champion: Masvidal

“Masvidal just needs to … keep his emotions and not turn it into where he just wants to fight him and hurt him and try to embarrass him – just really use what he does best.

“He has the best boxing, I feel like, in MMA right now. I feel like his hand speed is crazy. His ability to work the body is nuts.

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“Colby Covington does not like body shots. I knew it. Why I didn’t go there more often [in our fight], I don’t know.

“Masvidal knows it. He gave me some tips on it. I think he’s just going to work him to the body.”

Israel Adesanya, UFC middleweight champion: Masvidal

"Ooo, I like that fight, the spectacle that it will be. And I think Jorge gets it done, I think he gets it done. But, who knows, it's MMA! Anything is possible."

Anthony Smith, former UFC light-heavyweight title challenge: Masvidal

"All the film says Colby wins, but there’s just a feeling I have… Masvidal seems so confident. Colby, although he is still saying f***** u stuff; I mean he’s talking about Jorge’s family and how he is as a father, like, god damn, man. Too much. 

"Masvidal just seems so sure. They just know each other so well. Colby has all these skills and all these abilities and we all know how great he is, but Masvidal doesn’t look like he’s bothered by it. I don’t know, it looks like there’s something Masvidal knows that we don’t know.

Daniel Cormier, former UFC double champion: Covington

"I think stylistically for Colby Covington, this is a great fight, yes, because he feels like he can go and ground Jorge Masvidal.

“A lot of people from within the sport of mixed martial arts think that it's going to look like Robbie Lawler vs. Colby Covington, where Colby is just trying to overwhelm him with this pressure.

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"But what you don't understand is the improvements that Jorge Masvidal has made in wrestling and his ability to counter a lot of the things that Covington may have been able to do to him in the past years. 

“The guy is a much better fighter today and he's a much better fighter because of his interactions with Kamaru Usman, even though he lost those fights, he got better preparing for the champion."

Dan Hardy, former UFC welterweight title challenger: Covington

“I expect Covington to drown him for five rounds or less. I think he’s going to really struggle trying to finish Masvidal. But I do think he will be able to control him on the floor for a good period of time, and that comes down to Masvidal’s conditioning.

"He is wise with his energy at welterweight, unlike when he was a lightweight, but there are moments where he gets stuck on the floor. What might happen is Covington will maul him and take home a unanimous decision, probably three of four rounds to one.

“But I always root for the underdog, and this is a bit of pattern for me, when the fans and betting lines identify who the underdog is, I start to then try and make arguments for the underdog to win.

"One thing about Masvidal is that you can’t bank on anything in his fight. I expect Covington to win, but I will be pleasantly surprised to see Masvidal pull it off. As a fan I’m rooting for Masvidal.”

Henry Cejudo, former UFC double champion: Masvidal

“I’m going for Jorge, I’m going for Jorge. But, man… if he’s not working his wrestling and different transitions to get out from bottom, Jorge is going to be in for a rude night.

"Colby Covington is an all-American wrestler so he knows how to ride people. He did that to Kamaru Usman who is an awesome wrestler, but the simple fact that he’s fighting Jorge Masvidal, I think he’s going to shoot for a double leg right away.

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"And for Masvidal, he’s going to have to go for broke. I think you take them same chances with those flying knees and a lot of that blitz stuff because when Colby is on that leg, he’s like a dog with a bone."

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Stephen Thompson, former UFC welterweight challenger: Covington

“If you give me a bag of money I’m going with Colby, but last time I bet against the man [Masvidal] he’s finished guys so it’s hard to really be fully set on Colby.

“I’ve fought Masvidal so I want Masvidal to win.”

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