Colby Covington took his trash talk too far ahead of his UFC 296 clash with Leon Edwards and the welterweight champs plans to make him pay.
Covington is known for his brash smack talk but bringing up Edwards’ late father nearly sent the press conference into a frenzy on Thursday.
“On Saturday night, I’m going to bring you to a place you never want to be,” Covington said. “I’m going to bring you to the seventh level of hell. We’ll say what’s up to your dad while we’re there.”
Edwards launched a water bottle at Covington and security had to intervene during the presser. Edwards was still seething on Friday over the comments from Covington and is eager to make him eat those words in the octagon.
“That man is as good as dead tomorrow. Make sure you keep everything you said about my dad,” Edwards said on the eve of the fight. “Tomorrow, we can settle it.”
Edwards found support from the rest of the MMA community following Covington’s comments, including from unfiltered middleweight champ Sean Strickland.
“Bad guy, good guy, doesn’t f***ing matter. He raised a boy to be a f***ing man. To win a title. To be a good man,” Strickland said during a press event on Friday, adressing Covington’s comments on Edwards’ late father. “A real f***ing American would applaud him for that. They wouldn’t tear him down for that. So just so you know, Colby is a fake f***ng pussy and if he was standing here right next to me, the only f***ing thing he would do is call 911 because he is the definition of a f***ing b***h.”
Leon Edwards Calls Out Colby Covington’s ‘Weird Fascination’ With Donald Trump
Edwards has also delievered his own trash talk towards Covington, including a jab about his “facination” with Donald Trump. The former president is expected to be octagon-side for their fight.
“I think that whole scenario is weird, that’s what I make of it,” Edwards said at UFC 296 media day. “I don’t get the fascination with another man. I don’t get it. I know he used to be president and stuff, but he’s no longer the president. So, I don’t get what’s going on. It’s just weird. Why he picked him just to be a character off the back of him. I just don’t get it.”
Covington wanted Trump to walk with him down to the octagon but the UFC shot it down. However, he did say that Trump would be the one to award him the belt if he beats Edwards — who has other plans.
“Trump won’t wrap nothing around his waist because he ain’t getting the belt,” Edwards said. “Trump has been there before when he’s lost. So, Trump can’t fight for him. He just needs to grow up and go get a girlfriend or something.”
Leon Edwards Ready to Defend Title Again
Getty ImagesLeon Edwards will defend his title against Colby Covington at UFC 296.
Edwards will be defending his belt for a second time when he takes on Covington. He took out Kamaru Usman to win the belt in August of 2022 and won the rematch in March by a majority decision.
“I had to win 10 fights in a row to get a title shot, so it’s a path I’m used to walking. It’s a path that made me stronger,” Edwards told UFC.com. “It’s a path that built resilience within me and makes me want to fight harder to keep it.”
Edwards is a slight favorite for the title tilt against Covington, coming in at -165. Covington has not fought since March of 2022, when he beat now-retired Jorge Masvidal via a unanimous decision.
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Colby Covington Gets Final Warning From Leon Edwards