Former interim UFC welterweight titleholder, Colby Covington has warned undisputed division champion, Leon Edwards against rejecting a summer fight with him next – claiming the Birmingham native will be stripped of his title as a result.
Covington, the current #2 ranked division contender, has yet to feature under the UFC banner since March of last year, defeating former American Top Team training partner, Jorge Masvidal in a one-sided, unanimous decision victory at UFC 273.
As for Edwards, the Team Renegade BJJ & MMA staple headlined UFC 286 last weekend in London, England – defeating common-foe, Kamaru Usman in the duo’s trilogy rubber match – securing a close, majority decision victory.
On Friday during fight week, Clovis native, Colby Covington took to the scales – to the surprise of many, successfully weighing in as an official backup fighter to the welterweight headliner.
And according to UFC president, Dana White, the outspoken contender will fight for undisputed gold against Edwards next – potentially as soon as July.
Colby Covington issues a stark title warning to Leon Edwards
Questioning how Covington – who has been sidelined for over a year, deserves a shot at welterweight gold, Edwards has been described as a “nobody” by the former interim champion, who warned him against refusing to fight him next.
“He (Leon Edwards) get stripped [if he doesn’t take the fight],” Colby Covington told MMA Fighting during a recent interview. “He will get stripped. He’s not the draw in this division, I’m the draw. Look at the numbers from over the weekend, I didn’t even fight and my numbers towered over the main event – those f*ckin’ nobodies. Leon Scott (sic) and Marty Fakenewsman (sic), nobody wants to see those guys everything, there’s no personality, no charisma. Same thing with Marty, he needs a belt to stay relevant.”
“For Leon to sit there and act like he’s Conor McGregor – you’re not Conor McGregor, bro. You don’t get to call the shots. You’re a nobody, dude.”