“He wanted all the attention” – UFC Flyweight champ claims Colby Covington leaving American Top Team beyond ‘bad blood’ with Jorge Masvidal and Dustin Poirier

Flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja made startling claims about Colby Covington quitting American Top Team. Pantoja thinks it was not just related to his stale relationship with Jorge Masvidal and Dustin Poirier.

“He wanted all the attention” – UFC Flyweight champ claims Colby Covington leaving American Top Team beyond ‘bad blood’ with Jorge Masvidal and Dustin Poirier

Alexandre Pantoja says Colby Covington quit American Top Team in order to get attention. (via Imago/MMA Fighting)

Alexandre Pantoja, UFC flyweight champion, recently spoke with MMA Fighting’s Trocaço Franca podcast. He shed some light on Colby Covington’s departure from the American Top Team (ATT). Alexandre Pantoja, who will defend his championship at UFC 296, stated his displeasure with Covington and offered insight into the difficult relationships that led to Covington’s departure from ATT.

Pantoja scrutinized Covington’s changing public demeanor, noticing that celebrity life seems to have transformed Colby’s nature. The champion claimed that Colby Covington made a mistake by quitting ATT, a club recognized for its great training partners. Pantoja emphasized the necessity of being simply another ATT teammate. This opposes Covington’s demand for continual attention and his transfer to MMA Masters. This is what he said:

He [Covington] moved to a team where he thinks he’ll get all the attention, but I think MMA is not about that. Even though we’re fighting alone in there, there’s a great team behind us. [At ATT] you’re just another one training, but I think Colby couldn’t handle being just another one. He wanted all the attention but he wouldn’t get that here.
Alexandre Panjoja via MMA Fighting’s Trocaço Franca podcast
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Pantoja talked about the attitude of people in his hometown, claiming that he doesn’t care about Covington. Instead, he announced his support for Leon Edwards, citing Edwards’ life story and achievements as grounds for his support.

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Pantoja is staying focused on his personal endeavor as well, which is to defend his championship at UFC 296. He showed enthusiasm for the entire card, recognizing the marketability of fighters like Tony Ferguson, and underlined his determination to defend the belt.

Colby Covington reveals the name of the teammate who got him kicked out of ATT

Colby Covington has alleged that fellow fighter Dustin Poirier impacted his decision to leave the American Top Team in 2020. In an interview, Covington, renowned for his infamous trash-talking and outspoken style, said that Poirier had a factor in his departure from the famed MMA club.

Colby Covington reveals the name of teammate who got him to quit ATT
Colby Covington reveals the name of teammate who got him to quit ATT (via MMA Mania)

According to Covington, Dustin Poirier complained to ATT management about Colby, characterizing him as a “mean person.” He had urged them to remove him from the gym. This revelation adds another dimension to the ATT camp’s complicated connections and conflicts. Covington had already clashed with former colleagues Jorge Masvidal and Joanna Jedrzejczyk before leaving the gym in 2020. Colby claims that Poirier’s hurt feelings eventually led him to leave the gym.

MMA fans are looking forward to the upcoming UFC 296 event, where Colby will compete for the welterweight championship. Covington continues to be a magnet for attention and controversy in the MMA world, whether inside or beyond the cage.

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