Colby Covington mocks Leon Edwards ahead of UFC 296 title fight: ‘I’m taking that belt back to America, junior’
Less than a month out from their UFC 296 title fight headliner in December, former interim welterweight champion, Colby Covington has vowed to bring the undisputed crown back to the United States as he prepares to take on long-time rival, British favorite, Leon Edwards.
Covington, the current number three ranked welterweight contender, is slated to headline UFC 296 next month in Las Vegas, Nevada – taking on Birmingham native, Edwards in an undisputed welterweight title fight in the final flagship event of the year for the promotion.
Sidelined since March of last year, the former interim champion landed a one-sided unanimous decision triumph over former title challenger and prior training partner, Jorge Masvidal in the pair’s long-awaited grudge match.
As for Edwards, the Team Renegade BJJ & MMA staple most recently headlined UFC 286 back in March of this year in London, turning in a close, majority decision win over common-foe, Kamaru Usman in the pair’s trilogy rubber match.
And questioning Edwards’ title run and subsequent reign, Clovis native, Covington claimed that the Birmingham native had a much easier run to the welterweight crown than champions before him.
“He (Leon Edwards) had the right matchups at the right time to get to that point in his career,” Colby Covington said. “He fought a lightweight washout in Nate Diaz and sat out almost two years to get his title shot. I don’t think he warranted getting a title shot after beating that guy.”
Colby Covington vows to win welterweight gold at UFC 296
And issuing another warning to Edwards ahead of UFC 296 next month, Covington claimed he would bring the welterweight crown with him back to the United States.
“Tick tock, Leon (Edwards), three weeks to go,” Colby Covington said. “Everybody knows you didn’t want this fight, but just like the English didn’t want to give us our freedom here in America, we took it. And December 16. – it’s going to be no different.”
“I’m taking that belt back to America,” Colby Covington continued. “And you’re going back to the U.K. empty-handed, junior. See you soon.”
Who wins at UFC 296 next month: Leon Edwards or Colby Covington?
