Mike Brown, former WEC champ and head coach to both Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal at American Top Team, is closer than most to their intense rivalry. Covington and Masvidal were once self-proclaimed “best friends”, training together at ATT and even living together as roommates, but ever since Colby was kicked out of ATT thanks to his heel antics, their relationship soured.
Unsurprisingly, given the trash-talking to which both fighters are prone, there’s been a lot of mud-slinging since Masvidal vs Covington was announced as the headliner for UFC 272 this weekend. Mike Brown pointed out to MMA Fighting, however, that Jorge Masvidal is totally unfazed by mind games, who is “very calm” no matter what.
ATT Coach Mike Brown Says Masidal Unfazed by Covington Trash Talk
“I don’t address it. It’s not a problem. This is nothing new for Jorge. If anybody can handle that type of thing, it’s him. He deals with pressure better than anybody I know. Very calm, very relaxed. It’s different.” Jorge Masvidal, he says, is largely immune to pressure. He performs just as well in competition as in the gym.
“There are guys that are unbelievable fighters, like top level fighters that never make it to the UFC because they can’t handle the stress and the pressure. The pressure gets to them. They don’t perform like they can in the gym. Jorge is a guy who can do exactly what he wants in a fight as he does in the gym, always.”
Plenty of elite fighters have suffered from the mental aspect of combat sports. Certain fighters make mind games a huge part of their arsenal – Conor McGregor and Muhammad Ali spring to mind – but Jorge Masvidal simply does not get stressed. At all.
“Some people, pressure affects greatly and I think it’s a genetic thing but some [fighters], the stress doesn’t bother them at all. [Jorge Masvidal] is one of those guys. He is as cool as they come under the heaviest pressure.
For instance, this was a while back, it would be fight day and it’s chaotic, a lot of things going on, but nothing seems to bother this guy. He always seems calm, cool, collected no matter what. No outside forces ever get into his head.”
Colby Covington, who is still the top-ranked welterweight contender, will enter the Octagon as a serious favorite this weekend. Do you think Jorge Masvidal can earn himself an upset victory? Let us know in the comments.
