"Haters will still find a way to hate on me" - Colby Covington confirms suffering foot fracture during Leon Edwards fight at UFC 296
Colby Covington has expounded upon the injury he suffered in the title matchup against Leon Edwards at UFC 296 (Dec. 16, 2023). Their grudge match witnessed Edwards defeat 'Chaos' via unanimous decision and successfully defend his UFC welterweight title.
Following that fight, Covington claimed that he injured his foot 30 seconds into the very first round and that the injury adversely affected his performance.
In his latest appearance on Submission Radio, Covington reiterated that he hurt his foot early in the match. Besides, he unraveled X-rays of the injury to corroborate his claims. The 35-year-old acknowledged that the fight's result wasn't what he wanted, adding that it wasn't his night.
Colby Covington emphasized that breaking his foot right away disallowed him from planting or exploding off it. Apparently, it stopped him from utilizing the wrestling and pressure he aimed to use. Furthermore, Covington pointed out that he didn't want to divulge this information until he had the X-rays with him. Displaying the X-ray images of fractures in his left foot, 'Chaos' added:
"I knew straight away it was bad 'cause it was the first kick I threw. It landed right on his elbow. He was using orthodox, so I got a little overzealous, and I wanted to rip a high kick to his orthodox side 'cause I didn't know if he'd be defensively sound like he is from southpaw. So, the first kick I threw, high kick; it was kind of like a middle kick, and it landed on his elbow."
He added:
"And, you know, haters will still find a way to hate on me for fighting 25 minutes on one leg while landing over a hundred more strikes than Leon. But you know what? My haters are so broke, they can't even pay attention. So, f**k them."
Check out Colby Covington's comments below:
Colby Covington outlines recovery and comeback timeline after loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 296
In the aftermath of his defeat against Leon Edwards at UFC 296, Colby Covington has seemingly been working towards rehabilitating his foot. During the Submission Radio interview, the American MMA stalwart asserted that he's eyeing a comeback this "summer" and is willing to fight anyone the UFC gives him.
Around the interview's 13:45-minute mark, Colby Covington specifically jibed at Ian Machado Garry and once again took aim at Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson. 'Chaos' implied that he could fight either of them when he returns. When asked whether he's had to undergo surgery or went through just rehab after UFC 296, Covington said:
"Yeah, thankfully, it wasn't displaced. So, I didn't have to get surgery. It didn't go into ligament or ... So, yeah, there's no displaced fractures. So, it's just a time thing. Eight to 12 weeks of healing, and then probably another three to four weeks of getting my footing back and being able to plant off it."
Watch Covington discuss the topic below (23:30):