Masvidal Defense Disputes Covington Claim of Brain Injury Suffered in Alleged Attack

Photos submitted by Jorge Masvidal’s attorney, Bradford Cohen, depict the alleged injuries to the face of “C.C.” — his identifier for Covington — as exhibits in a request for the fighter’s medical records.

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There is now some visual evidence of the damage suffered by Colby Covington in an alleged attack by UFC rival Jorge Masvidal outside a Miami restaurant on March 21.

The images surfaced after Masvidal’s attorneys included them in a motion filed requesting Covington’s medical records. Covington recently modified his complaint, adding that he suffered a brain injury in addition to a fractured tooth, wrist abrasion and damage to his Rolex watch. While Covington’s tooth is clearly broken in the images, Masvidal’s attorney, Bradford Cohen, expressed skepticism in the fighter’s claims regarding the brain injury. Colby Covington is identified as “C.C.” in the request, which was obtained by MMAFighting.com.

“Interestingly, the images do not demonstrate an injury aside from a small chip in C.C.’s fake tooth,” Cohen wrote . “The evidence collected thus far clearly contradicts C.C.’s allegations. C.C. claims that Defendant hit him from behind. Exclusive footage shows that during the incident, C.C. was facing the individual he identified as Defendant. In fact, C.C. was looking at Defendant head-on prior to taking the hit then appears to run from Defendant in fear.”

The video footage mentioned by Masvidal’s counsel has not been made available. Covington alleges that Masvidal assaulted him from behind while wearing a hoodie and a surgical mask while saying, “You shouldn’t have been talking about my kids.” Covington also claimed that damages to his Rolex, which he valued at $95,000, would cost $15,000 to repair. Images of the watch were also included in the request, where Cohen alleges that the piece is a knockoff Rolex — or a “Folex” — worth significantly less than Covington said.

“This nickname indicates that a watch is composed of aftermarket parts including fake or knock-off Rolex parts and possibly real Rolex components — certainly negating the testimony that the watch is worth $95,000.00,” Cohen wrote. “To calculate repair costs and extent of damage to C.C.’s FOLEX, the watch needs to be examined more closely to determine the true value of the watch.”

Cohen also cited Covington’s career as a professional fighter as something that would consistently expose him to brain injury, making it difficult to determine if one punch from Masvidal in the alleged assault could’ve caused such trauma without access to medical records.

“Given the State and C.C.’s allegations — paired with the fact that C.C. is a professional fighter who is prone to repeated physical injury — Defendant requires access to C.C.’s prior medical records to properly defend himself against the charges in this matter,” Cohen wrote. “Specifically, to ascertain how a single punch to C.C.’s jaw induced the brain damage when C.C.’s profession as a fighter exposes him to such injury periodically.”

Masvidal has pleaded not guilty to charges of battery and criminal mischief. He was issued a stay-away order on April 28, which requires him to remain 25 feet away from Covington himself and 500 feet away from his rival’s residence.

Covington defeated Masvidal via unanimous decision in a lopsided bout at UFC 272 on March 5.