Leon Edwards enjoyed a comfortable defense of his welterweight title tonight at UFC 296 against a fairly lackluster Colby Covington.
Round One:
The end-of-year welterweight title headliner is underway in Las Vegas!
Head kick attempt from Covington to start misses. A couple of misses on leg kicks from him too.
Edwards taking the center of the Octagon here but staying patient. Glancing leg kick for Covington. Leg kick for Edwards now.
Covington throws a straight punch and Edwards was immediately looking to counter. Jab from Edwards comes off the guard.
Nice right hand for Edwards. Covington with a punch and Edwards immediately responds with another right. Edwards gets through again.
One-two for Covington. Leg kick for Edwards. Missed uppercut from Covington. Covington reaches for a leg for the first time and Edwards steps away comfortably.
Covington comes up short with a jab and eats a counter punch from Edwards. Covington circling now as Edwards stalks him slowly but surely.
Body kick for Covington. Now a left hand for him. Edwards looking for a front kick to the body. Calf kick for the champ. Missed punch from the challenger.
Round Two:
Body kick for Covington. Now a body kick for Edwards. Great distance management from the champ as he moves out of range as a punch comes his way and then lands a clean counter.
Missed front kick upstairs from Covington. Glancing right hand from Edwards. Covington unusually slow-paced and hesitant to engage so far.
Grazing left hook for Edwards. calf kick for Covington. Another leg kick from him. Head kick attempt from Edwards is blocked.
Head kick attempt from Covington misses. Calf kick for Edwards. Front kick to the body for the champ. Body kick attempt from Covington.
Solid leg kick from Edwards. Edwards checks a leg kick. Missed uppercut from Covington. Punch lands for Edwards. Not clear what Covington’s strategy is here.
Front kick to the body for Edwards. Covington throws a head kick that’s blocked. Punch from Edwards. Edwards cruising so far without having to do too much.
Round Three:
Covington reaches for a takedown and misses, slipping as he does so. Leg kick for Edwards. Punches from Covington coming up short.
Leg kick again for Edwards. Covington looks like he can’t pull the trigger here and might be regretting the two-year layoff right.
More leg kicks from Edwards and these are taking a toll. Covington now in on a more purposeful takedown attempt at last and lands it. Edwards trying to sneakily get on top, but fails and Covington secures top position. However, Edwards finds a little space and swiftly gets right back up. Edwards immediately threatens with a head kick that came close to getting through but was blocked.
Edwards now goes for a takedown of his own and lands it. Good work from him, but then after showing Covington he can do that he opts to just stand the fight back up again.
Body punch from Edwards. Leg kick for Covington. Hard calf kick for Edwards. leg kick from Edwards and Covington tried to catch that one, but failed. Covington’s lead leg has been reddened from early in the fight and is now a mess. Jumping knee from Covington doesn’t get close.
Round Four:
Covington with a telegraphed kick that’s blocked. Leg kick for Edwards. Covington ducks under a punch and drives in for a takedown. He’s up against the cage and Edwards counters with a guillotine choke. Covington has to duck and spin to get away from that.
Back at striking range Covington checks a kick. Covington comes up short on a punch and Edwards scores on the counter.
Missed uppercut from Covington. Front kick to the body from the champ. One-two from Covington. Covington drives into a takedown against the cage again. Covington works a trip, but while Edwards goes to his knees he gets right back up. Covington still holding on hoping to get him down again, but Edwards breaks away.
Edwards with a knee strike but his foot strikes the groin by mistake. Covington ok to continue though. Edwards lands a punch but Covington is landing too now. Nice short flurry from Covington and then a takedown attempt. Edwards defends it for now.
Covington with a takedown and Edwards trying to improve his position, but ends up on bottom. Edwards scrambles and tries to get on top but then opts to just get back to striking range.
Round Five:
Head kick attempt from Edwards is blocked. Body kick for Covington. Right hand counter for the champ.
Covington in on a takedown, hoists Edwards leg up high and brings him down. Edwards scrambling over to the cage and is on a knee trying to stand. Covington working around to his back as he tries to keep him down. Edwards able to stand though and then clinches up looking for a takedown of his own.
Edwards does get the fight to the mat and gets Covington’s back. Covington looking to turn into him and almost does, but Edwards counters with a triangle choke attempt. For a moment it looks like he’s got it in, but then Covington breaks free and ends up on top in Edwards guard.
Covington with a couple of minutes to find a finish. He’s not going all out for it at the moment though, but is now in half-guard.
Covington with some punches to the body, but he needs more than that. Hammerfists to the head now from the challenger. Time is running out though and he can’t find the finish he badly needs.
Decision:
Edwards was able to win much of this fight fairly easily on the feet with his sound distance management and cleaner technique against an uncharacteristic low-activity approach from Covington. Though the challenger picked up the pace a little late in the fight and finally managed to make some use of his wrestling it was far too little too late and so Edwards emerges a convincing unanimous decision winner (49-46 x3).
