"I've got his back" - When Jorge Masvidal defended Colby Covington's infamous "filthy animals" speech in Brazil

Believe it or not, there was a time when Jorge Masvidal was the only person who had Colby Covington's back.

In 2017, Colby Covington received backlash for calling Brazil a "dump" and its people "filthy animals" following his victory over Demian Maia at UFC Fight Night 119. The blowback was so intense that even members of the American Top Team were reportedly unhappy with Covington's antics.

However, the only one who didn't turn his back on Covington was Masvidal. Appearing as a guest on a 2017 episode of The MMA Hour, 'Gamebred' defended his then-best friend, arguing:

"Did he cross the line? Did he go too far? I mean there's several ways you could look at it. You know it's entertainment, right? It's cool for people, as we are walking down, to throw s***. My coach called me before he said any of that and I don't know what work out they had done or what, but he said people were shoving him. ... How disrespectful is that? They don't take into consideration that at the end of the day, we're human beings."

Masvidal then explained that Covington doesn't really mean what he said to the Brazilian fans. According to the welterweight star, 'Chaos' was merely reciprocating Brazil's disrespect while also trying to be over-the-top for entertainment. He added:

"Does he really mean that they're filthy animals? No, man. But it's entertainment also and, at the same time, if you're getting disrespected, you come over to Miami and people are throwing s*** on you, trying to spit at you, shoving your corners... What's gonna happen? ... Who gives a f*** what happens, man? That's my partner, man. I've got his back."

Turn to the following slides for Jorge Masvidal's comments on Colby Covington:

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Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington will fight in a highly anticipated grudge match

Whatever friendship Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington have has clearly dissipated over the years. Covington claimed that the fallout was due to Masvidal's jealousy of him, while 'Gamebred' insisted that 'Chaos' "ripped off" one of their coaches.

The duo are now gearing up for a main event showdown at UFC 272 this March. Perhaps one of the most highly anticipated grudge matches in recent memory, the bout was deemed worthy of a pay-per-view main event spot even without a title involved.

With each man coming off failed title bids, both Covington and Masvidal are in desperate need of a victory. It's safe to say that UFC 272 is shaping up to be a remarkable pay-per-view considering everything that's at stake.