Who is going to be the next opponent for Leon Edwards? This is the question that everyone in the UFC is talking about right now because the current welterweight champion refused to accept how Colby Covington deserves to be his opponent when he defends his title for the second time. Ben Askren, on the other hand, has a contrasting viewpoint that he wishes to impart to Rocky.
Dana White just CONFIRMED that Leon Edwards vs Colby Covington is NEXT #UFC286 pic.twitter.com/Vn1oUciFLV
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) March 19, 2023
UFC 286’s post-fight press conference saw Dana White announce that Colby Covington, as the division’s most worthy competitor, will be given another opportunity at the title. Colby attended the weigh-in as a backup fighter for the main welterweight event at the O2 Arena in London, United Kingdom.
What was Ben Askren’s warning to Leon Edwards?
While the news that Colby would be the next welterweight title contender came as a complete shock to everyone, a lot of fighters and UFC fans have already voiced their opinions on the matter. Ben Askren, as a guest on a podcast hosted by Daniel Cormier also discussed the subject at hand.
“UFC fighters, they can push back against Dana [White], but where it bites them in the a** is Dana will hold it against them. They can win in the short term.” Askren said.
“Chaos” hasn’t fought in a year since having a unanimous decision victory against Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272. The 35-year-old fighter surprised everyone by showing up at the weigh-in as a backup fighter for the welterweight clash in London. Hence, along with Rocky, many believe that Covington is not just the right person at the moment for having a title bout.
“Like if Leon just keeps saying, ‘nah, I’m not fighting him, give me someone else, it might happen, and then when Dana gets to get him back, he’s gonna get him back,” Askren added.
Colby Covington opens up as the 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 in a UFC welterweight title fight against Leon Edwards 👀
(odds via @betonline_ag) 🏆 #UFC286 pic.twitter.com/XiaaLTa5IJ
— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) March 19, 2023
Do you concur with Ben Askren’s assessment of Leon Edwards’ choice to not face Colby Covington? In the comments section, I would appreciate it if you could express your viewpoint.
