3 minutes As Leon Edwards prepares for his second title defence, here at betting.bet we’ll provide an extensive fight preview and betting tips as well as the latest UFC odds and free bet offers from our betting partners at Betfair.
UFC 296 is scheduled to take place on December 16th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The headline event on the night is a Welterweight Championship bout between current champion, Leon Edwards and former interim champion, Colby Covington. As Leon Edwards prepares for his second title defence, here at betting.bet we’ll provide an extensive fight preview and betting tips as well as the latest UFC odds and free bet offers from our betting partners at Betfair.
Fight Background
Current welterweight champion, Leon Edwards is eyeing a second title defence following a majority win over former champion, Kamaru Usman at London’s O2 Arena in March.
Edwards’ second successive win over Kamaru Usman proved his sensational knockout win over the Nigerian last year was no fluke. Edwards had previously lost to Usman in December 2015 but he’s not tasted defeat since.
Prior to their second bout in August 2022, Usman had earned nineteen consecutive wins and was the reigning champion since March 2019. Three of Kamaru Usman’s five title defences came against Colby Covington.
Covington has been out of the octagon since March 2022 where he earned a thrilling unanimous decision win over Jorge Masvidal.
Tale of the Tape
Leon Edwards heads into December’s bout with a record of 21 wins and just three defeats in his 25 bouts (one no contest). The Jamaican-born 32-year-old is unbeaten since December 2015 and has never been stopped with all three previous defeats coming on points or via disqualification.
| Leon Edwards' Professional Record Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Number of matches | 25 |
| Number of wins | 21 |
| Number of losses | 3 |
| Wins by knockout | 7 |
| Wins by submission | 3 |
| Wins by decision | 11 |
Colby Covington also has three career losses, however two of those defeats have come in his past four bouts. Both losses were against Kamaru Usman whilst Covington also lost to Brazilian, Warlley Alves in December 2015.
| Colby Covington's Professional Record Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Number of matches | 20 |
| Number of wins | 17 |
| Number of losses | 3 |
| Wins by knockout | 4 |
| Wins by submission | 4 |
| Wins by decision | 9 |
Is Kamaru Usman a Reliable Yardstick?
Leon Edwards has earned back-to-back wins over Kamaru Usman whilst Colby Covington’s last two losses have come at the hands of the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’. Edwards should win this bout comfortably then, right? Colby Covington believes he is responsible for Edwards’ recent wins over Usman, claiming the two bouts between Covington and Usman “took the fight” out of Usman.
Covington explained, “His chin was never the same, and I’m the one that loosened up that chin. I head kicked him and had him on wobbly legs, then he calls timeout. It’s not like Leon did something that I hadn’t already done.”
He added, “You can tell [Usman] was just hesitant, and that knockout really affected him. I don’t know, I’ve never been knocked unconscious like that, laying in that Octagon. I don’t know what that feels like and being trigger shy. All I know is one pace and that’s go forward and show the world who the cardio king is.”
Leon Edwards v Colby Covington Betting Tips
Covington has been away from the octagon for almost two years. Now 35-years-old, that period of inactivity could prove his undoing.
Leon Edwards is the slight favourite in the bookies’ betting markets at 4/5 however, we feel he should be slightly shorter. We’re more than happy to back the reigning champion to claim a second title defence at that price.
Leon Edwards v Colby Covington Fight Odds
| Leon Edwards v Colby Covington Odds | |
|---|---|
| Leon Edwards: | 4/5 |
| Colby Covington | Evens |
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