Colby Covington, the tenacious welterweight contender, is determined to erase the lingering stench of his last performance against Leon Edwards at UFC 296.
In December, Covington faced a challenging night inside the T-Mobile Arena, where he fell short in his third undisputed UFC title fight against Edwards. Despite the unanimous decision loss, Covington, known as "Chaos," remains steadfast in his belief that he should have emerged victorious.
In a recent revelation, Covington shared X-rays of a debilitating injury he sustained during the welterweight title clash with Edwards. The 35-year-old fighter displayed an image of an X-ray revealing a fractured medial cuneiform bone in his left foot. According to Covington, the injury occurred early in the fight, specifically with the first kick he threw. The former interim welterweight champion returned to the octagon after an almost two-year hiatus, aiming for the undisputed welterweight crown at UFC 296.
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Covington's inability to execute his high-volume pressure wrestling style was evident throughout the five rounds, leading to Edwards comfortably outpointing him. Despite the lackluster performance, Covington explained that the broken foot hindered his ability to plant and explode off it, limiting his planned wrestling and pressure tactics.
In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Covington disclosed the extent of his injury, stating, "I broke my foot right away and couldn’t plant or explode off of it to use the wrestling and pressure I planned to use." He went on to share his decision to withhold this information until the X-rays confirmed the severity of the injury.
Covington addressed his critics, emphasizing the challenges he faced in fighting 25 minutes on one leg while landing over a hundred more strikes than Edwards. Unfazed by the naysayers, he dismissed them with a bold statement:
“Haters will still find a way to hate on me for fighting 25 minutes on one leg while landing over a hundred more strikes than Leon. But you know what? My haters are so broke, they can’t even pay attention. So f*** them.”
Despite moments of success during UFC 296, Covington's statistics revealed only 44 significant strikes landed over five rounds compared to Edwards' 55. The broken foot is expected to keep Covington on the sidelines for the initial months of 2024.
However, the #6-ranked welterweight has already called for a matchup with Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson in the aftermath of UFC 296, showcasing his resilience and determination to bounce back from adversity.