Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal did not touch gloves at the start of their UFC 272 main event on Saturday night, the customary show of sportsmanship and respect between athletes as their prizefights are getting underway.
But for these two fighters, former teammates and roommates whose relationship soured in the most personal of ways, there was just no way it was going to happen.
That probably did not bother one person inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, or anyone watching the pay-per-view telecast, for that matter. Everyone just slid a little closer to the edge of their seats, if sitting was even an option for fans who had been waiting with rapt anticipation for this grudge match.