Leon
Edwards still needs an opponent if he is to remain on the UFC
Fight Night 187 card, but it doesn’t appear that Colby
Covington is a willing dance partner.
Last week, UFC president Dana White
revealed that the promotion was working on booking a title
eliminator between Covington and Edwards, potentially as early as
March 13. Edwards was supposed to face Khamzat
Chimaev at the event before Chimaev withdrew to
ongoing COVID-19 issues.
In an interview with Submission Radio,
Covington rejected the possibility of a matchup with Edwards.
“‘Leon Scott’ hasn’t earned anything,” Covington said. “I’m in the
Colby Covington Incorporated championship business. I’m not in the
Leon Scott charity business. This isn’t charity hour, man. I’m
fighting at the top of the mountain. I’m fighting the best in the
world …
“I’m not doing charity business no more. It’s not my fault this kid
hasn’t fought in two years. It’s not my fault this kid – there’s
people from England fighting all the time in the pandemic, they’re
not scared to fight. So, I’m not doing charity for this guy who
hasn’t fought in two years. He’s irrelevant, he’s beat a bunch of
bums, and I’m not doing charity. This isn’t charity hour, this is
f—-ing championship f—-ing pay-per-view hour.”
Instead, Covington seems more focused on reigning welterweight
champion Kamaru
Usman, who called for a rematch with Jorge
Masvidal after dispatching Gilbert
Burns at UFC 258 this past Saturday. Covington lost to Usman
via fifth-round TKO in a welterweight title bout at UFC 245 in
December 2019. “Chaos” is not pleased that Masvidal could be in
line for another crack at Usman.
“Let’s talk about real business, let’s not talk about charity
business no more,” Covington said. “I deserve and I earned a fight
for the world title. I just destroyed the former champion, finished
him like nobody’s finished him before in the UFC. I came back and
won a fight, what has Jorge Masvidal done besides sit on the
sidelines and fake f—-ing pull out of fights?
“He’s scared to fight. He knows he’s washed up, he’s a journeyman.
He’s looking for one more pay day. No one wants to see that guy
fight for the title, they know what’s gonna happen. It’s gonna be
the same exact outcome. And why reward a coward like that? A guy
that’s blatantly scared to fight?”
Covington last appeared at UFC Fight Night 178 this past September,
when he stopped former title holder Tyron
Woodley in the fifth round of the evening’s main event.