UFC London may have been a major success, but there was a noticeable absence from proceedings at the O2. UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, who is the only current British UFC champ, was nowhere to be seen.
Elite welterweight Colby Covington has all but confirmed that he’s next in line to challenge for Edwards’ belt, appearing on Chael Sonnen’s YouTube channel to stake his claim for a year-end barnstormer.
Colby Covington vs Leon Edwards Rumored For UFC 295
As always with Colby “Chaos” Covington, the interview wouldn’t be complete without a few vicious verbal barbs. “That’s the last thing [UFC President] Dana [White] had told me in Miami when we had dinner.
Leon didn’t want to have a homecoming day. He wanted to rob his fans of a pay-per-view. He thinks they’re deserving of this s***** Fight Night card this weekend.
So I feel bad for the fans of London. Now the last time I had heard, [my title fight] was August September from [UFC executive] Hunter Campbell, and he’s a man of his word.
The title shot is guaranteed. I know I’m gonna get it. There must be something wrong on Leon side. Maybe he’s injured, maybe something’s going on, maybe he needs a little bit more time to get ready for ‘Chaos.’
But, this fight’s going to happen. They’re not going to put this in the desert, in Abu Dhabi. What sense does that make?”
Covington, who has been off the radar since early last year, also revealed that he was supposed to fight several other elite contenders, all of whom pulled out.
“From my side, I’ve been ready since day one, since the Jorge [Masvidal] fight. I’ve accepted every fight that’s been offered my way. First it was Dustin, they wanted to make that fight. They saw the potential and a big fight there and Dustin’s a p****.
He’s scared, he ran away from the challenge. Now we know that he’s all talk, he’s no walk. Then it was Chimaev. I was ready to end the hype with Chimaev, but he’s scared.
He’s unprofessional. He’s a little dork. He ran away from the division. He’s scared to fight. He talks all this big game online, but he don’t talk inside the Octagon. He don’t sign contracts and be a professional.
So then that fell through, then they want The Ultimate Fighter. I accepted The Ultimate Fighter, and there’s only one person that could take it from me. He took it away from me, Conor [McGregor].
Then it was on to being the backup fighter in London.”
