Edwards Tipped to Silence Covington at UFC 296
Edwards vs Covington Fight Odds
Leon Edwards puts his UFC Welterweight belt on the line against Colby Covington, and Edwards vs Covington fight odds predict a close fight.
Edwards is the -155 favorite to improve to 22-3, but looking to score an upset is Covington, who could let his hands to the talking for once.
They are at the top of the UFC welterweight rankings, and it’s worthy of the main event at UFC 296.
Edwards vs Covington
Date, time:
Streaming: Live Sports Stream
Justifying Favoritism
Edwards hasn’t done much wrong throughout his career, and the champion deserves respect with UFC betting odds.
The 32-year-old British fighter didn’t face much of a challenge when taking on Kamaru Usman in March, and although he has his critics, he is a quality fighter.
He knocked out Usman at the peak of his career in 2022, and although Usman was easily winning that fight until getting lazy in the fifth round, credit goes to Edwards for sticking with it.
Stephen Thompson explained why Edwards will beat loudmouth Covington at T-Mobile Arena.
“Leon is definitely the better striker,” Thompson said. “The only thing that I think Colby has is the cardio. If he stays in his face and stays relentless, but that’s very dangerous with somebody like Leon because he can throw. [Edwards] is very dangerous from the very beginning all the way to the very end of that fight.”
At UFC fight time, we know Edwards still stands up. He has defended his belt once before, and Covington has had his opportunities and never taken them.
We expect Edwards vs Covington fight odds to firm for Edwards. The -155 could move to around -165 on fight night.
Last Chance for Challenger
It’s time to put up or shut up for Covington, who likes to talk a big game.
The 35-year-old American has the game to back it up, as his 17-3 record suggests, but he rarely wins the big fights.
This isn’t his first chance to win the UFC welterweight title. He wasn’t good enough to beat Usman, but we can’t rule him out at +125 underdog odds.
He had one fight in 2022 with a win over Jorge Masvidal. It went to a decision, so it wasn’t a convincing performance, and considering Masvidal is now retired, it looks less impressive.
We think this is his last chance to make a title run. He isn’t getting any younger, and the division has never been softer.
If Covington doesn’t grab this chance by the scruff of the neck, it could be curtains for his career.
He has been frustrated by his lack of recent fights, primarily due to his opposition pulling out.
“It just made me hungrier and it made me realize how much I love this sport,” Covington said. “I don’t feel alive until I’m in that UFC Octagon. That’s when I feel the most alive in my life and I feel like that’s the true meaning.”
Ride the Champion
Despite some betting support for Covington, we’re backing Edwards to retain his belt.
He is the rightful champion after beating Usman in consecutive fights, and we’re happy with the Edwards vs Covington fight odds.
His form has been at the top level for some time now, and despite not having many recent fights under his belt, he’s not a fighter that needs the preparation.
We also think the fight goes the distance, which has been heavily backed. Over 4½ rounds is a -200 chance, which is a short price, but it’s worth including in UFC parlays.
