Before the brash trash-talker we know today, Colby Covington was an entirely unrecognizable figure in the UFC. His persona as ‘Chaos’ wasn’t always the spotlight-stealing, boundary-pushing figure dominating UFC headlines. A softer, more diplomatic version once roamed the Octagon, a version recently revealed in an old video shared on Instagram by Red Corner MMA.

In the interview, a younger Covington is asked about his thoughts on Jon Jones’s troubles outside the confines of the cage. The ‘Chaos’ persona was nowhere to be seen as Covington’s tone was empathetic, almost brotherly as he stated, “You know, it’s unfortunate. He was a really good friend in college, we spent two years sharing a bunk bed together, so I was hoping he was going to be here. I thought we were going to get to have a little coming together again like in college when we were winning wrestling matches together, so it kinda sucks that happened, but I hope he learns from his mistakes.”

Covington’s history with Jon Jones is a tale woven from shared dorm rooms, wrestling glory, and tumultuous camaraderie. Their paths first crossed at Iowa Central Community College, where they were roommates. In another past interview with Fox Sports’s MMA Roasted podcast, ‘Chaos’ shared, “We got into a lot of trouble, when you’re in a small town in Iowa, a lot of kids are farm kids, and they always wanted to start some stuff with the wrestlers…they’d always try to pick fights at our house parties and stuff.”

Those college antics foreshadowed the complexities of a relationship that would later unravel into a bitter feud as Covington has been relentlessly taking shots at ‘Bones’ in recent years. The recent glimpse into a different part of his carefully cultivated persona has MMA fans and fighters alike raising their eyebrows and sharing opinions online. Here’s a look at what the MMA sphere had to say!

Jorge Masvidal and fans left questioning Colby Covington switching up his ‘persona’

Perhaps no feud in the UFC’s history has been as heated as the one between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington. While reports indicate that their falling out happened due to Covington allegedly not paying one of ‘Gamebred’s coaches who helped him train for his interim title fight, things have rapidly escalated since. The beef even spilled out into public in 2022 when it was reported that ‘Chaos’ was assaulted outside a Miami Beach restaurant by Masvidal. As such, ‘Gamebred’ didn’t hold anything back in slamming Covington for seemingly switching up his personality to chase popularity!

@gamebredfighter: “Fake as b**ch”

For some fans, the polarizing response to Colby Covington’s antics could have been avoided if he stuck to the personality he displayed in the old interview. Why the sudden change? In a past interview with Candace Owens, Covington had confessed that due to the UFC threatening to cut him before his 2017 bout with Demian Maia, he decided to adopt the controversial persona to rescue his career.

“he lowkey could’ve been better if he stayed himself and didn’t force a personality”

But others were keener to point out that since the interview Covington has changed his personality completely but Jon Jones seemingly hasn’t. At the UFC Tampa Media day, ‘Chaos’ fired off a fresh salvo against his former roommate and friend as he stated, “Jon Jones is an absolute disgrace to this earth, he’s a joke. Yeah, he beat Stipe. Respect to Stipe first off, he’s a first responder… But, he was past his time, he shouldn’t have been in there.”

“Completely valid statement, since then Jon hasn’t learnt from his mistakes, don’t blame Colby for his takes on Jon now.”

For other fans, the look into the pre-‘Chaos’ persona of Covington provided an “interesting” look into how much he has changed from then till now.

“Oddly super interesting watching old Colby.

Some even highlighted the fact that the interview captured a chrysalis moment, with Covington shedding his old self for the larger-than-life figure we see today. The old interview offers more than a history lesson; it’s a window into the complex dance between authenticity and persona in MMA.

“You could see the beginnings of the character here for sure”

In the end, fans remain divided. Some lament the loss of the humble Colby Covington, believing he could have thrived without the theatrics. Others argue that his calculated transformation was a masterstroke, rescuing him from obscurity and cementing his place in UFC lore. Yet, as fans dissect this interview, it raises questions about the cost of such transformations. Is the ‘Chaos’ persona an act of brilliance, or has Colby Covington strayed too far from his roots? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!