Colby Covington On President Trump: ‘I’m Going To Put The Belt Around His Waist’ At UFC 296

“On Saturday night, I’m going to break Leon.”

If the intersection of politics and sports is not for you, then you may want to tread lightly around the upcoming main event of UFC 296.

As politics and MMA combine, led by Colby Covington, it is destined to be entertaining.

In what should be a spirited, emotional bout, welterweight champion Leon Edwards defends the title against Covington this Saturday at UFC 296.

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Edwards (21-3, 1 NC) appears to enter with a clear-cut advantage: he has won 11 of his past 12 fights, with the only non-victory being a no-contest. He defeated Kamaru Usman–the same Usman that twice defeated Covington–in consecutive bouts, and he is riding high entering Las Vegas for his second title defense.

But MMA math is a complex study. Inevitably, when someone appears unstoppable, the common denominator is that they often receive a rude awakening (see: Adesanya, Israel vs. Strickland, Sean). Whether that will be the case on Saturday is to-be-determined, but Covington believes he is in a prime spot–despite not fighting for the past 19 months–to defeat Edwards.

“I’ve already been anointed and celebrated as the people’s champion, as America’s champion, as the ‘King of Miami’, and most importantly, as Donald Trump’s favorite fighter,” said Covington. “Saturday night, I can finally be celebrated as undisputed champion. This is destiny, this is a long time coming. This is facing adversity and coming back stronger from it. Sometimes the path is harder, but it’s because the ceiling is higher.”

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Covington (17-3) has not exactly put the division on notice over the last three years. He fought once in 2020, defeating former champ Tyron Woodley, then lost by decision to Usman in a 2021 bout at Madison Square Garden. He returned in 2022 to defeat Jorge Masvidal (which led to an outlandish attack from Masvidal in March of 2022 where Masvidal was arrested and charged with aggravated battery and criminal mischief), yet still received a title shot ahead of Belal Muhammad, who has won his last nine contests.

Leon Edwards On Colby Covington: ‘His Skills Are Very Limited’

A key to Covington’s success is his knack for drawing attention to the sport. Once a candidate to be cut from the UFC–Covington is a sensational wrestler, which can be considered dry when compared to the stand-and-swing approach many fighters employ–he generated headlines as soon as he became a larger-than-life MAGA character. Once he intertwined himself with former United States President Donald Trump, who is expected to be cageside for the fight on Saturday, Covington took on new life in the UFC.

“President Trump will be in the crowd, front row, and he’s going to put that belt around my waist–then I’m going to put the belt around his waist because he’s the champ of the people and the greatest president in American history,” said Covington. “He’s done so much for this country–he had peace in the Middle East, kept our borders secure, inflation was low, gas was low. He’s going to come back in 2024 and make this country great again.”

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Behind the bravado and bluster is an unrelenting confidence. Covington’s training is revered throughout the sport, and he credits that winning mentality to a lesson he learned from wrestling legend Dan Gable, who helped the University of Iowa recruit Covington more than 15 years ago.

“I was lucky and fortunate enough to be recruited by Dan Gable,” said Covington. “My first day on campus, he told me, ‘Colby, if you want to separate yourself, go to wrestling practice. Then go do something extra.’ So I asked him what he meant by doing something extra. Gable told me that when he was training for the Olympics, he would dig a ditch after practice. And the reason he did it was for cardio and to gain an edge over his opponents. I was very blessed to be around him at Iowa for a year.”

Despite Covington’s world-class wrestling and cardio, there are reasons to doubt him on Saturday. His opponents pale in comparison to those Edwards has defeated, and he has been particularly inactive, especially since the Masvidal attack. At 35, it is a valid concern whether Covington will still have the endurance to exhaust Edwards, who is three years younger, in the prime of his career, and possesses exceptional skills in Brazilian jiu jitsu.

Courtesy Zuffa LLC

“I don’t think any man alive has the discipline or heart that I have,” said Covington, brimming with confidence. “When guys are finished with their workout and looking at their phones, that’s when I am putting in the extra work. A lot of it comes from mindset. My mind is so unbelievably strong. I feel I’m unbreakable. On Saturday night, I’m going to break Leon. He’s a tin man. The dog in me is going to come out, and I’m going to bring out the quitter in him.

“I never wanted a participation trophy. I’m not the biggest, I’m not the strongest, but I am the nastiest. My body is a vessel. I’ve been delayed, but on Saturday night, I will not be denied.”

Covington is extremely intense, which should be apparent throughout the week. And he is still a formidable opponent for Edwards, one who the champ is taking very seriously.

“People pay their hard-earned money for these pay-per-views, and I want them to sit back and admire greatness,” said Covington. “I can promise you it’s going to be entertaining.”