Covington departs American Top Team

Colby Covington's departure from American Top Team (ATT) is documented in media coverage as occurring in 2020 after prolonged interpersonal conflicts dating back to late 2017 and a reported falling-out in 2018 [1]. ESPN reported that Covington left ATT after owner Dan Lambert told him he was no longer welcome following comments directed at teammates and staff; the outlet traces the deterioration to repeated disputes within the gym and cites accounts of a payment disagreement involving coach Paulino Hernandez as one catalyst [1]. Following the split, Covington relocated his training to MMA Masters, formally severing the daily training relationship that had tied him to several ATT fighters, including Jorge Masvidal earlier in their careers [1]. Immediate reactions in MMA media framed the move as confirmation that the personal split was enduring rather than temporary, and outlets treated the change as material context for future matchups between former teammates [1]. The departure clarified training allegiances and removed the institutional buffer that had previously connected the two fighters, contributing to the intensity of later promotional interactions and the UFC booking that paired them in 2022 [1][2].

Covington’s exit from ATT altered the training map in South Florida and removed shared-team ties that can moderate disputes. By relocating to MMA Masters in 2020, Covington formalized a separation that reporters trace back to the 2018 falling-out, making later confrontations with Masvidal less about intra-gym conflict and more about direct personal rivalry and promotional narrative [1].

After the departure, Covington continued to build a public persona characterized by provocative remarks and high-profile fight bookings. His separation from ATT was referenced repeatedly in media coverage when UFC matched him with Masvidal for UFC 272 in March 2022; the distinct training bases underscored that the UFC showdown was between fighters who were no longer teammates [1][2].