Jorge Masvidal has issued a chilling threat to Colby Covington - promising to 'make it seem like the Ben Askren fight was very merciful.'

Masvidal is set to make his return to the Octagon after a lengthy absence since his July 2020 loss to UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman on Fight Island. 

And the "BMF" has vowed to hurt his former teammate badly when the two eventually meet inside the cage. 

"I really wanna hurt this guy in a way that I've never done," Masvidal said in a recent interview with ESPN’s Ariel Helwani

"I want to make it seem like the Ben Askren fight was very merciful compared to what I'm gonna do to Colby. Guaranteed. 

"And that fight will take place, but when I the f*** [sic] say so."

The pair were long-time training partners at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida before Covington left the gym following a series of public disagreements with several of his now-former teammates. 

But Masvidal claims he was briefly kicked out of ATT after trying to pick a fight with Covington.     

He continued: “Colby’s that one person and I always say this, when I see him, it is a free pay-per-view right there. He knows that and that’s why he used to make videos going ‘this guy’s so unprofessional and he tried to fight me on the street.’ I got kicked out of the gym for trying to assault him one time.

“I used to go to spots that he would frequent a lot and got the police called on me and things like that. I know a lot of people think, man you’re an idiot, you’re a professional fighter why would you do that. Because I f*****g feel like it and nobody tells me what to do. It is more loyalty to me. You can’t do something wrong to someone I love, it just isn’t going to happen.”

Masvidal will attempt to avenge his most recent loss to Usman when they meet in a highly-anticipated rematch in the main event of UFC 261 on April 24. 

Covington, meanwhile, does not currently have his next fight booked, but has been campaigning for both a rematch and a grudge match with Masvidal over the past few months. It is widely expected the pair will finally meet at some point later this year.