Leon Edwards might be unconvinced about whether Colby Covington actually deserves his shot at the UFC welterweight title at UFC 296, but he's determined to make sure the American doesn't get his hands on the belt on Saturday night.
Edwards and Covington will go head to head in the main event at T-Mobile Arena with Edwards' undisputed 170-pound title on the line. It's a bout that Edwards is remaining laser-focused on, despite the noise that comes whenever his opponent enters into a fight week.
"I think no one in this room knows why he's fighting for a title, but we're here now," Edwards told reporters during a media day session at the UFC Apex.
"The only thing that matters, all that matters, is Saturday night – going out there and taking him out, and focusing fully on that. Whether he deserves it or not, it doesn't matter, because he's fighting anyway for the belt."
Covington arrived for media day bedecked in a suit with former US president Donald Trump's name and likeness. And the American's friendship with the former commander-in-chief has led to the pair connecting before and after many of his fights. The topic of Trump always comes up in his interviews, and he revealed that Trump would be in attendance for the title fight, and would present Covington with the belt after the fight. Edwards shut down that suggestion very quickly.
"Trump won't be wrapping nothing around his waist, because he's not getting the belt," he said. "Trump has been to his fights before, when he's lost. Trump can't fight for him. (Covington) just needs to grow up and go get a girlfriend or something."
Covington has been a successful foil that has generated increased interest in his past title fights, but he hasn't managed to capture the undisputed crown, with two prior shots ending in defeat to the man Edwards defeated to win the belt, Kamaru Usman.
Looking at Covington's skills, Edwards said that he thinks the challenger's technical skillset is overestimated by many, and said that he is fully prepared to not just defeat him, but finish him, on Saturday night.
"He's not as good as everyone thinks, you know?" he said.
"He's a guy that's been stopped before by TKO, been choked out before, been taken down before, so there's many ways that you can beat him. He's just a normal fighter that's more scrappy, basically.
"Me and my team came up with a great gameplan to neutralize what he's good at, and my aim is to go out there and take him out."
