LAS VEGAS – It’s been nearly two years since Colby Covington stepped foot inside the UFC cage, but his confidence hasn’t fizzled one bit.
As he strutted into the UFC Apex for a UFC 296 pre-fight news conference, Covington (17-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) sported a red, white and blue suit, but no undershirt. He donned a Sharpie signature on the suit’s side to accompany former U.S. president Donald Trump’s mugshot on the back.
“I feel amazing, man,” Covington told MMA Junkie and other reporters. “It’s great to be back on U.S. soil and defend my country and defend the honor of all our citizens here in America. It feels great. It could’ve been in the U.K., but he said an all-time ‘f*ck you’ to the U.K. fans and said, ‘No, I don’t want to defend this title in the U.K.. I’d rather come to U.S. soil.’ History repeats itself. It’s just going to be another 1776. That means the British don’t come to America. If you come to America, you’re going home empty-handed, Junior.”
Covington takes on UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, a proud representative of the United Kingdom, as well as Jamaica. As Edwards (21-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC) has risen through the ranks to titleholder in recent years, Covington has been largely inactive – with only two fights since the end of 2020.
Edwards knocked out then-champion Kamaru Usman for the title in July 2022. He then turned around and defeated Usman a second time in March 2023. Despite Edwards’ performances against a man he is 0-2 against, Covington isn’t impressed with what he’s seen inside or outside the cage.
“It was the first fight with Usman where I saw he had that quitter in him,” Covington said. “I’m going to bring out the dog in me and the quitter in him. I know he’s got it deep down inside. Even in the second fight, he had it, too. His coach had to wake him up: ‘Leon, Leon, you’re quitting. Don’t give up, mah-mah-mah-mah.” He’s a mumbling idiot, and Saturday night I’m going to bring that quitter back out of him.”
According to Covington, Trump will attend Saturday’s event at T-Mobile Arena and will wrap the belt around him if his third UFC title is his first successful one.
“Unfortunately, Donald Trump won’t be able to walk out with me, but he’ll be there cageside,” Covington said. “I’ll get my hug before I enter that octagon. I’ll see him cageside. He’ll be putting that belt around my waist Saturday night.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 296.
