More and more fans and fighters are sharing their frustration over the performance of Leon Edwards and Colby Covington in their last bout at UFC 296. Two of the latest big names to criticize the fight are former fighter Daniel Cormier and pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev.
Edwards successfully defended his belt from Covington last Saturday by winning the bout via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46). However, almost the entirety of the match was uneventful, with Covington barely making any remarkable move in the fight, especially in the first three rounds. The challenger managed to deliver a takedown in the latter part of the fight, but it was not enough to match the beatings he received from Edwards. As for the champ, many expected a brutal performance and lust for blood, especially after the opponent’s remark about his murdered father. However, none of that happened, with Covington even claiming that he didn’t receive any scratch from the fight.
Many were disappointed about the match, including UFC CEO Dana White, who called Covington “slow and old,” and backup fighter Belal Muhammad, who said the fight was “a joke to the division.” Now, Cormier and Makhachev are echoing the sentiments, believing both parties failed to meet the expectations of the MMA community.
As Cormier pointed out, many were expecting a lot from the two due to the grudge between them. However, the former fighter said that the flow of the bout relied on Covington, who didn’t do anything to make the pace of the match more exciting.
“We got a very dominant performance, and guess what? It wasn’t Leon’s fault,” Cormier said on his latest YouTube content. “He, as the champion, came out and fought a very typical Leon Edwards fight – a fight where he’s in control – and he makes you fight his fight at his pace.
“The only way this fight was going to be fun is if Colby Covington put on that pace that he was so known for. He didn’t do that. He did not do that in his approach to trying to become a champion again, and then he opens himself up to a lot of criticism from people.”
Makhachev also lambasted the fight, suggesting Edwards should be replaced due to his performance. It can be recalled that the lightweight champion voiced the intent to also be a champion in another division and even proposed a fight with Edwards in the past. Yet, the Russian believes he can “finish” both Edwards and Covington.
“Leon has to be next, and also, this fight was bullsh*t, man,” Makhachev said. “We have to change the champion.”
