Colby Covington accuses "a***ole" Leon Edwards of disrespecting British fans by refusing to headline upcoming UFC event in UK
Colby Covington has lambasted Leon Edwards, as he believes that Edwards has disrespected the British fans by refusing to fight him in the UK. Reigning UFC welterweight champion Edwards is coming off a majority decision victory over Kamaru Usman in March 2023.
The consensus was that Edwards would subsequently defend the welterweight title in his native UK against Covington. Their fight was being targeted for a UFC pay-per-view (PPV) event on July 22nd, 2023, at The O2 Arena in London, UK. However, Edwards turned down the opportunity, and the UFC resultantly scheduled a Fight Night card to take place at The O2 Arena on July 22nd.
Edwards, for his part, explained that he'd just competed in March and wouldn't want to make a quick turnaround in July unless he's offered significantly higher pay. 'Rocky' further highlighted that he intends to utilize the time off to heal his injuries and could defend his title at UFC 294 on October 21st in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Colby Covington has now tweeted a video message discussed the recent developments. Promising to defend the welterweight title in the UK after he becomes champion, Covington stated:
"I heard the news. So, I just want to take a moment out of my busy schedule to apologize to the fans in the UK. The fan base over there is incredible. And the UFC and I were ready to pull out all the stops to bring the biggest card the UK has ever seen to The O2 this summer."
"'Leon Scott' [Leon Edwards] is the one person who thinks the UK fans aren't worthy and deserve a Fight Night instead of a pay-per-view. What an a***ole! I vow to right this wrong and defend my world title in a blockbuster pay-per-view in the UK. God bless you all."
Watch Covington discuss the topic in the video below:
A Message From Americas Champ to The People of The United Kingdom #UFCLondon https://t.co/1PAEF06cY6
Colby Covington reveals ideal location for UFC title fight against Leon Edwards
UFC president Dana White has consistently maintained that Leon Edwards will have to defend his title against Colby Covington next. In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Covington addressed the same. He criticized Edwards for going against the UFC's plans and turning down the highly-anticipated UK matchup against him.
Dana White announced during the #UFC286 post-fight press conference that Colby Covington will get a title shot next against Leon Edwards 👀
WHAT A MATCHUP 🔥 https://t.co/JHAIHZvd5z
Moreover, Colby Covington repeatedly accused Leon Edwards of cheating his hometown fans out of a high-profile UFC title matchup in the UK. 'Chaos' emphasized that he won't face Edwards in Abu Dhabi and would instead like their fight to take place in the US. Noting that 'Rocky' has no say in the matter, Covington said:
“Yeah you know, (Abu Dhabi) is an odd place to do it, you know? This is going to happen on American soil. That’s where the biggest and best business gets done anyway, boys, that’s where this market is at, you know? The biggest and best markets are over here in America so we’re gonna do this...it’s gonna be a spectacle, it’s gonna be a big thing so."
Watch Covington's assessment below: