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Edwards and Covington nearly engaged in a scuffle during the pre-game press meeting.

Pre-fight conference confrontation between Leon Edwards and Colby Covington, triggered by Covington's disrespectful comment regarding Edwards' deceased father.

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Edwards and Covington nearly engaged in a scuffle during the pre-game press meeting.

Fueling Fire at UFC 296: Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington's Explosive Showdown

December 16, 2023, witnessed the UFC 296 spectacle in Las Vegas, an event that was almost overshadowed by an off-the-rope incident involving headliners Leon "Rocky" Edwards and Colby "Chaos" Covington. The tension reached a boiling point when Covington made a distasteful joke about Edwards' late father, leading to a near brawl.

In the heat of the moment, Edwards let loose with a flying water bottle before lunging at Covington in a rage. The security team swung into action, successfully separating the two before any blows were exchanged. A visibly agitated Edwards then applied the label "a piece of shit" to Covington and expressed hopes that the latter conserves his energy backstage.

True to form, Covington, known for his provocative antics, entered the venue clad as George Washington, a nod to the American Revolution of 1776. He declared, "1776, baby, that's the American Revolution. General Washington started it, General Covington is gonna finish it," addressing the British champion Edwards.

The Englishman, sporting a 21-3 record, was defending his welterweight division title for the second time, while American contender Covington, currently ranked third with a 17-3 record, sought his third championship belt. Prior to this skirmish, Edwards had dethroned the dominant champion Kamaru "The Nigerian Nightmare" Usman in a historic head-kick KO at UFC 278 (2022), followed by a trilogy decision win at UFC 286.

Sources:- UFC 296: The story behind the press conference fiasco (MMA Today)- Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington: A riveting rivalry unloaded (Fight Game Insider)- The post-UFC 296 chaos: What's next for Edwards and Covington? (MMA Fanatic)

Enrichment Data:

Background- Leon Edwards: Champion after head-kick KO of Kamaru Usman at UFC 278 (2022) and a trilogy decision win at UFC 286.- Colby Covington: Former interim champion with a rivalry-driven persona, returning after a March 2022 win over Jorge Masvidal.- Pre-Fight Drama: Heated exchanges fueled by Covington’s inflammatory remarks about Edwards’ late father.

Fight OutcomeEdwards dominated Covington over five rounds, retaining his title via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46).

Post-UFC 296 Developments- Edwards’ Next Fight: Scheduled to rematch Belal Muhammad at UFC 304 on July 27, 2024.- Covington’s Status: Criticized for decline, with no confirmed next bout as of recently.

  1. Despite the disrespectful remarks made by Colby Covington about Leon Edwards' late father during the UFC 296 press conference, Edwards managed to maintain his composure and thwart any physical altercation.
  2. Covington, a controversial figure in mixed-martial-arts, arrived at the UFC 296 event dressed as George Washington in a nod to the American Revolution of 1776, further igniting the tension between him and Edwards.
  3. In the UFC 296 main event, Edwards successfully defended his welterweight division title against Colby Covington, marking his second title defense.
  4. Post-UFC 296, Edwards is scheduled to face Belal Muhammad in a rematch at UFC 304 on July 27, 2024, while Covington's next bout remains uncertain due to his recent performance and criticisms about his decline in the sports world.
Tempers flared at a pre-fight press conference, with Leon Edwards and Colby Covington nearly engaging in a physical altercation. The instigator was Covington's disrespectful comment regarding Edwards' deceased father.
Tension erupted at a pre-fight press conference between Leon Edwards and Colby Covington, as Covington made disrespectful remarks concerning Edwards' late father, almost resulting in a physical altercation.
Brawl brinksmanship at pre-match conference: Edwards and Covington on the verge of physical altercation due to Covington's offensive comment about Edwards' deceased father.

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