UFC 272 Covington vs. Masvidal: Live results and analysis

LAS VEGAS — UFC president Dana White has promoted thousands of fights since stepping into his role in 2001, but there’s something different about this one, the heated grudge match between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal. The two former roommates and former best friends will fight in the main event of UFC 272 at T-Mobile Arena. Covington and Masvidal cannot stand each other now. Covington believes Masvidal got jealous of his success and verbally stabbed him in the back. Masvidal says Covington is phony and stiffed Masvidal’s coach on pay.

“I don’t know if there’s ever been one like this where the guys were actually teammates, roommates, friends, cornermen,” White said Thursday at the prefight press conference. “These guys go way back. And I don’t know if there’s ever been one like this. Not even close.”

This fight really isn’t about rankings or titles. It’s about pride and bragging rights. But Covington and Masvidal are elite fighters and both are multiple-time UFC welterweight title challengers. ESPN ranks Covington No. 4 at welterweight and Masvidal at No. 10.

Covington (16-3) is coming off a close, unanimous decision loss to welterweight champ Kamaru Usman, ESPN’s current pound-for-pound king, at UFC 268. The California native, who lives and trains in Florida, has won eight of his past 10 fights, but dropped two of his past three — both to Usman. Covington, 34, owns dominant wins over a pair of former teammates already: Tyron Woodley and Robbie Lawler.

Masvidal (35-15) has lost to Usman…