Leon Edwards and Colby Covington will square off for the welterweight title in the main event of UFC 296. Edwards ended Kamaru Usman’s title reign by defeating him twice, solidifying his position as the world’s best welterweight. Leon Edwards is now aiming to challenge the leading competitors in the class in Colby Covington.
UFC 296: Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington Odds
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- Leon Edwards (c) (1.63) vs. Colby Covington (2.20)
- Alexandre Pantoja (c) (1.46) vs. Brandon Royval ()2.60
- Shavkat Rakhmonov (1.13) vs. Stephen Thompson (5.50)
- Paddy Pimblett (1.30) vs. Tony Ferguson (3.30)
- Bryce Mitchell (1.49) vs Josh Emmett (2.50)
- Irene Aldana (1.43) vs. Karol Rosa (2.70)
- Cody Garbrandt (1.43) vs. Brian Kelleher (2.70)
- Casey O’Neill (1.49) vs. Ariane Lipski (2.50)
- Dustin Jacoby (1.40) vs. Alonzo Menifield (2.80)
- Tagir Ulanbekov (1.43) vs. Cody Durden (2.70)
- Andre Fili (1.55) vs. Luca Almeida (2.35)
- Martin Buday (1.95) vs. Shamil Gaziev (1.80)
Where to watch UFC 296 and what’s the timing?
The UFC 296 main card will kick off at 10 p.m. ET. The Prelims card will start at 8 p.m. ET. And the early prelims will begin at 6 p.m. ET. The UFC 296 PPV will be available on ESPN+ PPV and will cost $79.99. The preliminary card will air on ESPN2 and the early prelims will air on ESPN.
UFC 296: Colby Covington vs Leon Edwards Preview
For a number of years, the former championship contender Colby Covington was thought to be among the best welterweights. The only issue is that he couldn’t pass Usman. That effectively made him the division’s second-best fighter. He has an opportunity to alter his legacy and riches at UFC 296.
Edwards has an abundance of offensive tools and is a fantastic striker. Edwards is a very technical striker who can kick to all three levels, change stances, and box inside when viewed from the outside. I enjoy his clinch stuff as well. Edwards uses his knees and elbows skillfully in clinch exchanges. It should be mentioned that Edwards has improved in a number of grappling techniques, the most noticeable of which are takedown defense and getting off the fence.
As a wrestler, Covington depends on his cardiovascular edge. A game strategy that puts an emphasis on takedowns, volume, pressure, and pace accomplishes this. Covington primarily boxes when striking when it comes to more specialized abilities. He occasionally throws in kicks, but his primary weaponry consists of lengthy boxing combos. He shoots a lot of takedowns, but he is not very good at landing them. He attempts to wear opponents down while throwing a lot of ground and pound on the ground.
THEY SETTLE IT IN THE OCTAGON TOMORROW 🔥@Leon_EdwardsMMA vs @ColbyCovMMA for the welterweight world title at #UFC296!
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The fighters’ respective trajectories are an intriguing feature of this battle. Edwards, 32, is starting to show his true potential as a champion and is improving noticeably. Closer to the end of his heyday is 35-year-old Covington. While I’m not saying Covington is a reformed man, it is important to acknowledge that his career seems to be in decline.
Edwards is up against a different known grappler. Although he did defeat Usman twice, Covington is not the same. Covington is more concerned with volume, whereas Usman is much stronger and values control. Colby’s very strong in the clinch and he’s very good at controlling you up against the fence. that’s his game. On the ground Colby easily outwrestles his opponents and finds ground and pound shots. Colby can win if he simply applies 24/7 pressure on Leon. Usman did this in the second fight against Leon it worked very well for him Colby has to fight how he normally fights and if he does then he will win.
FINAL PREDICTION: Colby Covington defeats Leon Edwards @2.20 / The fight goes above 3.5 rounds @1.40
(All Odds from Parimatch)