A fight between Covington and Edwards could produce the next welterweight title challenger.
After Khamzat Chimaev vs. Leon Edwards was cancelled for the third time earlier this week, the UFC is looking to rebook the Brit against former interim champion Colby Covington.
Chimaev pulled out of the scheduled March 13 fight with Edwards due to “lingering COVID-19 effects” after testing positive for the virus this past December. Left without an opponent, Edwards called out Jorge Masvidal, Nate Diaz and Covington to fill in for the breakout star Chimaev.
Talking at the UFC 258 media scrum, Dana White said the promotion is working on booking a fight between the two top welterweights which could still take place on Mar. 13th.
“I think what we do now, with what happened to Khazmat, we’re looking at Colby vs. Leon,” White said. “The winner of that fight would fight Usman next.
“That’s the fight. Listen, for a guy like Leon, Leon accepts the fight with the No. 15 ranked guy who is a savage. Nobody else wants to fight this guy. The fight keeps falling out left and right. Now, this happens to him? We’ve got to go this way with him (up), and not (down) to show the kid the respect he deserves and stepping up and taking these fights and doing what he’s done. (We’ll) get him the right fight.”
Edwards (18-3) is on an eight-fight winning streak in the UFC, with his last loss coming to the current champion Kamaru Usman in 2015. Meanwhile, Covington (16-2) defeated former champion Tyron Woodley last September by fifth-round TKO.