It appears Leon Edwards’ wait for his next bout will continue after Colby Covington has expressed a strong disinterest in fighting him.
After Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev was canceled for the third time, Dana White and the UFC made the decision to move on and seek another opponent for Edwards. White openly named Colby Covington as the opponent the promotion had in mind for Edwards in what would be a #1-contenders fight for an opportunity to challenge welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. Unfortunately for both Edwards and the UFC, Covington’s mind seems to be made in the opposite direction.
“Leon Scott hasn’t earned anything, boys,” Covington told Submission Radio. “I’m in the Colby Covington Incorporated Championship Pay-Per-View business. I’m not in the Leon Scott Charity business. This isn’t charity hour. I’m fighting in the top of the mountain. I’m fighting the best in the world…
“It’s not my fault this kid hasn’t fought in two years. There’s people from England that are fighting all the time in the pandemic. They’re not scared to fight. So I’m not doing charity for this guy who hasn’t fought in two years. He’s irrelevant.”
Leon Edwards indeed has not had a fight since July of 2019. One name that offered to fight Edwards prior to the Khamzat Chiamev booking was Stephen Thompson. And even after the Chimaev cancellation, Thompson remains interested in fighting Edwards. With Colby Covington apparently giving a hard pass to the Edwards fight, this may leave Stephen Thompson as the only viable next fight for Edwards. As for Covington, he stated in the interview that it is title shot or bust and that the only fight he is interested in is a rematch against Kamaru Usman.
What do you predict will happen next for Leon Edwards and Colby Covington?
This article first appeared on MMANews.com on February 16, 2021.
