Colby Covington claims Jorge Masvidal’s “fake retirement” was to take time off to use steroids: “He’ll get out of the USADA pool, probably go do some steroids, and come back”
Colby Covington isn’t convinced Jorge Masvidal is hanging up the gloves for good.
After losing his fourth consecutive fight at the hands of Gilbert Burns earlier this month at UFC 287, Masvidal announced his retirement in front of a sold-out home crowd in Miami.
Following the bout, Masvidal said he’s now beginning to feel like a 38-year-old when he competes, claiming his mind’s still sharp, but the body won’t cooperate. Despite being clear that Masvidal had been slowing down, Covington believes “Gamebred” is using retirement as an excuse to use steroids before returning to compete.
Before losing to Burns, Masvidal was dominated over five rounds by Covington at UFC 272, and his former friend and training partner suggests he took away his star power that evening.
UFC welterweight Colby Covington slams Jorge Masvidal retirement
“I took away his confidence and his ego,” Covington told Inside Fighting. “He hasn’t been the same fighter. He just showed up for a paycheck his last fight. It’s a fake retirement. We all know people in the UFC that don’t retire. He’ll get out of the USADA pool, probably go do some steroids, and come back.
“He doesn’t know how to make money any other way but fighting. He’s not really retired. That guy’s dumber than f*ck in the head. He’s not gonna be able to make money any other way but fighting. I can guarantee you he’ll be back to get a paycheck.”
Quotes via MMA Junkie
Although claiming Masvidal can’t make money outside of physically fighting, he has used his stardom over the last several years to his advantage by running and funding multiple successful businesses. Among them is Gamebred Boxing, which recently hosted an event in Milwaukee earlier this month featuring names such as Roy Jones Jr., Anthony Pettis, Jose Aldo, Jeremy Stephens, and Vitor Belfort.
Gamebred Boxing also paid the fighters handsomely, with the fighter payout reaching almost $3 million combined.
Covington is set for his third championship opportunity against Leon Edwards later this year. The 35-year-old weighed in as a back-up fighter for Edwards vs. Usman 3 in March but wasn’t needed. Edwards recently disclosed he would like to fight on UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi in October.
What do you make of the comments from Colby Covington? Do you agree? Let us know in the comments!
