How much is Leon Edwards and Colby Covington getting paid to headline UFC 296? Estimated payouts reported
Leon Edwards is set to take on Colby Covington later this weekend in a highly anticipated UFC welterweight championship bout at UFC 296.
Having won the welterweight championship by beating Kamaru Usman at UFC 278, Leon Edwards defended his belt against 'The Nigerian Nightmare' at UFC 286 in a trilogy bout. Now, 'Rocky' will look to defend his belt against Colby Covington, who has fought for the title twice but fell short both times against Usman.
Regardless of the outcome at the upcoming UFC 296 this Saturday, both men are expected to walk away with a hefty paycheck. Unfortunately, exact figures have not been released for either fighter's purse as of yet. However, an estimate can be made by looking at their earnings from their last fights, respectively.
According to The Sports Daily, Leon Edwards made upwards of $1 million in his last fight against Kamaru Usman. On the flip side, Colby Covington walked away with $1.06 million for his fight against Jorge Masvidal as per MMA Salaries.
That said, it's safe to assume that both fighters will yet again make upwards of $1 million for their upcoming UFC welterweight championship matchup at UFC 296.
Dan Hardy gives his prediction for Colby Covington vs. Leon Edwards
The upcoming UFC welterweight championship matchup between Colby Covington and Leon Edwards is the latest topic of discussion in the MMA community. Many have offered their take on the bout, including former UFC fighter Dan Hardy, who recently backed 'Rocky' to emerge victorious.
During a recent interview with Submission Radio, Dan Hardy broke down the fight and suggested that we might see Covington start off strongly with Edwards slowly gaining control of the fight and eventually getting his hands raised. He said:
"I think Leon's going to do it, I think he'll defend his belt. It wouldn't surpised me if he loses the first two rounds. If he spends the first two rounds hand-fighting, clinch-fighting, and getting himself off the fence, eventually he'll start to land those short elbows and knees which will start to slow Colby down and make him hesitant to close the range."
Catch Dan Hardy's comments in the video (32:05):