Colby Covington alleges that prejudiced judges were responsible for him not winning the title at UFC 296, stating, ‘They dislike me because of my support for Trump.’
UFC fighter Colby Covington, in the presence of former President Donald Trump at UFC 296, asserted that judges’ perceived political bias led to his unanimous decision loss against Leon Edwards. During the post-fight press conference, Covington contended that judges consistently showed bias against him due to his support for Trump.
Speaking on “Jesse Watters Primetime” on Wednesday, Covington expressed his belief that judges had intentionally disadvantaged him based on his political stance, resulting in the loss of the title bout. He stated, “If it’s in a judging position, in a fight, or any type of athletic sporting event, they’re going to stack the deck against us.” Despite facing criticism for attributing his defeat to alleged political bias, Covington emphasized the need for people to rise up against such circumstances.
Watters pointed out to Covington that it appeared he had the advantage on paper, with more total strikes and an equal number to the head. Covington added that he also had an extra five minutes of control time.
Covington went on to elaborate that he sustained a broken foot within the first 30 seconds of the fight when Edwards blocked his initial kick with his elbow.
The UFC welterweight champion emphatically expressed to Watters his desire for a rematch against Leon Edwards.
“I deserve it,” Covington stated. “I think I broke my foot in the first 30 seconds of the fight, kicking it on his elbow, so I want a rematch with this guy. I’m going to come back stronger. I’m just like the American people. You know, we never give up; you can knock us down, but we just learn. We don’t lose; we only learn. We come back stronger,” he asserted.
As of the current moment, Covington holds a record of 17 wins, 4 losses, and 0 draws.
Former President Trump attended UFC 295 last month at Madison Square Garden. His appearance at UFC 296 marks his fourth attendance at a UFC pay-per-view event this year, with previous appearances at UFC 287 in Miami and UFC 290, also held in Vegas.