Themba Gorimbo as soon as spoke Colby Covington’s praises once they had been teammates on the identical Florida gymnasium, however these days are lengthy gone now.
Throughout his rise to fame after Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson took discover of Gorimbo’s story struggling to make it financially as a fighter after shifting to the USA from Zimbabwe, Gorimbo backed Covington in opposition to the fixed barrage of hate he receives for the outlandish statements made earlier than and after his fights. Covington seemingly goes out of his strategy to get below all people’s pores and skin, however Gorimbo initially mentioned that his teammate was misjudged, particularly after the one-time interim UFC welterweight champion went out of his strategy to supply assist when it was most wanted.
That every one modified a 12 months in the past and a minimum of partially performed a component in Gorimbo’s transfer from MMA Masters in Florida to his new group at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas.
“It’s one thing that Colby did to me that crossed the road and there’s penalties on your actions and he’s going to pay for them,” Gorimbo instructed MMA Preventing. “There’s penalties for each motion {that a} man does, and whether or not it’s now or subsequent 12 months, he’s going to pay for it.”
Gorimbo says the falling out boiled down to at least one incident the place Covington successfully big-timed him whereas they had been each attempting to get some work achieved on the UFC Efficiency Institute in Las Vegas.
“He kicked me out of the [UFC Performance Institute] in December 2023 after I was attempting to coach on the treadmill,” Gorimbo revealed. “The P.I. is for everyone, and he thought that the P.I. belonged to him. He was reducing weight to battle Leon Edwards, and I perceive it may be robust.
“However I additionally was going to chop weight, however I don’t go to the P.I. and lower weight and chase all people out of the P.I. simply because I feel I personal the corporate. That for me is the set off level.”
To make issues worse, Gorimbo claimed it wasn’t even Covington who booted him from the gymnasium however relatively anyone he despatched to inform his teammate that he wasn’t allowed in the identical space whereas the all the time outspoken welterweight lower weight for his title battle.
It may not have bothered Gorimbo a lot if not for the truth that he routinely educated with Covington so it’s not like they weren’t pleasant with one another. Add to that, Gorimbo says he was simply attempting to get some work achieved like each different fighter going to the UFC P.I. so he had no plans to distract Covington from the work he was doing.
“[That incident is] one of many causes I needed to depart the gymnasium,” Gorimbo mentioned about his altercation with Covington. “My morals and his morals. We’re going to seek out out after we get this [fight]. Slowly however certainly,
“I do know he’s not subsequent for me, however I now have to start out placing targets on the fellows that I would like. On my strategy to the belt, I need to stroll by him.”
Going from teammates and acquaintances to enemies is an enormous change however Gorimbo isn’t forgiving or forgetting how Covington handled him in that second.
Gorimbo believes Covington could be happier that they aren’t coaching collectively any longer, particularly after what he describes as an aggressive sparring session they shared whereas nonetheless working below the identical roof.
“You need to ask him what occurred the final time we sparred,” Gorimbo mentioned. “He’ll let you know. I don’t know who was bleeding between the 2 of us however considered one of us was bleeding. He crossed the road with me.
“I’d prefer to battle the ranked guys, and he’s one of many guys I wish to undergo earlier than I get to the title.”
