UFC News
Leon Edwards explains why Colby Covington won't be able to get under his skin
Cole Shelton - December 11, 2023
Leon Edwards doesn’t think Colby Covington’s trash talk will impact him at all. Edwards is set to defend his welterweight title for the second time in the main event of UFC 296 as he takes on Covington in a highly-anticipated matchup. It’s a close fight on paper, as Edwards is a slight betting favorite, but the Brit has full confidence he will get his hand raised.
Colby Covington confident he will make Leon Edwards "quit" at UFC 296: "I've seen the quitter in him"
Cole Shelton - December 11, 2023
Colby Covington believes Leon Edwards has quit in him and expects to show that at UFC 296. Covington is set to headline UFC 296 against Edwards for the welterweight title in a highly-anticipated fight. It’s Covington’s third crack at becoming the undisputed welterweight champion, and he enters the scrap as a small underdog as the oddsmakers believe Edwards will get his hand raised.
Leon Edwards believes the UFC wants Colby Covington to defeat him: "He's got Dana White privilege"
Josh Evanoff - December 11, 2023
Welterweight champion Leon Edwards is aware that the UFC likely wants him to lose to Colby Covington on Saturday. ‘Rocky’ hasn’t been seen in the cage since a title defense against Kamaru Usman in March. There, Leon Edwards scored his second-straight win over ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’, this time by unanimous decision. Cageside that night was the recently returned Colby Covington.
Colby Covington claims no one's going to beat him while “Donald Trump is in attendance" ahead of UFC 296 title fight
Cole Shelton - December 11, 2023
Colby Covington has full confidence he will become the UFC’s welterweight champion on Saturday at UFC 296. Covington is set to headline the pay-per-view card at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada against Leon Edwards. It’s an intriguing matchup and heading into the fight, Edwards is a small betting favorite to get the win.
Beneil Dariush is contemplating his UFC future following KO loss to Arman Tsarukyan: “Do I go forward or am I done”
Harry Kettle - December 11, 2023
UFC lightweight Beneil Dariush has admitted that he’s contemplating his future in MMA after his recent knockout loss. Earlier this month, Beneil Dariush suffered a pretty bad knockout loss at the hands of Arman Tsarukyan. The defeat came in the first round, and it served as the second loss of the year for Dariush following his defeat to Charles Oliveira in June. Now, at the age of 34, it appears as if Dariush is questioning his future in the sport of mixed martial arts.
Leon Edwards sheds light on Ian Machado Garry gym KO rumors: “He got a little taste for sure”
Harry Kettle - December 11, 2023
Leon Edwards has shed some light on the rumors that he knocked out Ian Machado Garry in training. This weekend, Leon Edwards will return to the Octagon at UFC 296. In the main event of the evening, he will defend his UFC welterweight championship against Colby Covington, the former interim champ. Many believe Colby doesn’t deserve a crack at the belt, but either way, he’s getting one.
Anthony Smith issues statement on UFC Vegas 83 loss to Khalil Rountree
Fernando Quiles Jr. - December 10, 2023
Anthony Smith didn’t waste time addressing his UFC Vegas 83 defeat. Smith went one-on-one with Khalil Rountree inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 9. Smith entered the bout on short-notice, hoping to make a big enough statement that reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira would call him out to settle their grudge.
Alexandre Pantoja feels Brandon Royval deserves UFC 296 title opportunity: "He's fought with everybody in the top 10"
Fernando Quiles Jr. - December 10, 2023
UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja isn’t going to downplay Brandon Royval as a challenger. Pantoja and Royval are no strangers to one another. Back in August 2021, Pantoja submitted Royval via rear-naked choke in the second round. Since that fight, Royval has gone on a three-fight winning streak. In that span, he’s beaten Rogério Bontorin, Matt Schnell, and Matheus Nicolau. The streak has earned Royval the number two spot on the official UFC flyweight rankings, and a championship opportunity.
Belal Muhammad serving as backup fighter for UFC 296 main event: “I think obviously they know Colby and Leon are the two most inactive welterweights in the division"
Fernando Quiles Jr. - December 10, 2023
Belal Muhammad will be an emergency backup in the event that something goes awry with the planned UFC 296 headliner. The scheduled main event for UFC 296 is a UFC Welterweight Championship fight between titleholder Leon Edwards and Colby Covington. It certainly isn’t unusual for the UFC to have backup fighters for title bouts. In this case, however, Muhammad believes he’s been chosen because the UFC doesn’t trust Edwards or Covington to make it to fight night.
Khalil Rountree explains why fighting UFC champion Alex Pereira would make sense: "You have two explosive, dynamic fighters"
Fernando Quiles Jr. - December 10, 2023
Khalil Rountree isn’t pounding the table to fight UFC lightweight champion Alex Pereira this second, but he does believe the fight would have some juice to it. Rountree has been rolling inside the Octagon as of late. He recently extended his winning streak to five by stopping Anthony Smith via TKO in the third round. “The War Horse” earned his second “Performance of the Night” bonus as a result of his handiwork at UFC Vegas 83.
Islam Makhachev dismisses rematches with Charles Oliveira & Arman Tsarukyan: "If you want to be a champion in a good way, you have to add new names"
Fernando Quiles Jr. - December 10, 2023
UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev isn’t a fan of rematches. Makhachev was scheduled to have a second bout with Charles Oliveira at UFC 294 back in October. Oliveira was forced to pull out due to a nasty gash he suffered while sparring. As a result, Makhachev took another rematch, but with UFC featherweight champion Alex Volkanovski. It was a sensational showing for Makhachev, as he scored a first-round head kick for knockout win.
Song Yadong fires back at Petr Yan following UFC Vegas 83 win: "His last fight was boring, too"
Fernando Quiles Jr. - December 10, 2023
Song Yadong is having none of Petr Yan’s emojis. Yadong took center stage in the main event of UFC Vegas 83 on December 9. He shared the Octagon with Chris Gutierrez inside the UFC Apex. Yadong was able to take a unanimous decision victory after the fight went all five rounds.