UFC Legend Gushes Over Expert Wrestling Of Colby Covington Ahead Of UFC 296

"Chaos" will get his third crack at winning the welterweight title in the main event of UFC 296.

Drew Beaupré | Sep 22, 2023

UFC Legend Gushes Over Expert Wrestling Of Colby Covington Ahead Of UFC 296 /

Colby Covington is one of the more controversial figures in MMA, but former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier wants to make sure his accomplishments aren't being overlooked ahead of a meeting with Leon Edwards at UFC 296.

“Chaos” last stepped into the Octagon when he headlined UFC 272 opposite Jorge Masvidal and won a unanimous decision. The 35-year-old was immediately tabbed as the next challenger for the welterweight title after Edwards defeated Kamaru Usman at UFC 286, and as of this week that matchup will officially headline UFC 296 on December 16.

Edwards hasn't lost since his first meeting with Usman back in 2015 and was largely able to stifle his rival’s wrestling during their last meeting. Covington will likely test the champion’s grappling again at UFC 296, and Cormier has warned “Rocky” not to underestimate his next challenger.

Leon Edwards — (Per Haljestam/USA TODAY Sports)

“It’s one thing to fight a wrestler, it’s another thing to fight a wrestler like Colby Covington,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “Colby Covington – love him or hate him – you have to respect that he’s a tremendous competitor. He is one of the hardest working guys you’ll ever meet. And if he’s not one of the hardest working guys you’ve ever met, you know some really hard-working people.”

Covington put together a seven-fight win streak from 2016-2019 that included winning the UFC’s interim welterweight title in a bout with Rafael dos Anjos.

“Chaos” came up short in both his bids to become undisputed champion against Usman, but Cormier doesn’t think that takes away from everything he’s accomplished in his career.

Colby Covington Kamaru Usman — (Ed Mulholland/USA TODAY Sports)

“He’s not the fastest. He’s not the strongest, he’s not the biggest. We’re talking about a guy that became a multiple-time NCAA All-American, we’re talking about a guy that fought for the UFC championship two times and is now fighting for it for the third time…He takes all those things that some may think are deficiencies and he applies them just enough and just right enough to be able to put himself in position to become the champion time and time again.”

The fact that the Edwards vs. Covington matchup has been rumored for months has provided plenty of time for the two welterweights to build up anticipation for the fight. It was briefly suggested that the UFC wanted to slot it in as the co-main event for UFC 295, but “Chaos” claimed that Jon Jones refused to share the card with him.

The headlining welterweight title bout was the first fight confirmed for UFC 296 after some fans speculated Conor McGregor could make his return on that card, and the promotion’s final PPV of the year now looks to be shaping up well with Alexandre Pantoja also set to defend his flyweight title against Brandon Royval in the night’s co-main event.

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Published Sep 22, 2023