Colby Covington backed to win UFC title in grudge fight with Leon Edwards: ‘I think he’s going to mix it up’
Former undisputed lightweight champion, Rafael dos Anjos has picked former interim welterweight champion and common-foe, Colby Covington – to defeat another former opponent, current undisputed welterweight gold holder, Leon Edwards, in an expected UfC 295 title fight.
dos Anjos, a former undisputed lightweight champion, has been sidelined since he featured on the main card of UFC Orlando back in December, submitting Bryan Barberena with a second round neck crank in Florida.
The Niteroi native is slated to headline UFC Vegas 78 this weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada – taking on fellow Brazilian contender, Vicente Luque in a main event bout at the UFC Apex facility.
Sharing the Octagon with both Clovis native, Covington, and Birmingham technician, Edwards during his initial stint at the welterweight limit, dos Anjos suffered a decision loss to both – the first of which in an interim welterweight title fight.
Rafael dos Anjos backs Colby Covington to beat Leon Edwards in expected UFC title fight
And with the knowledge of sharing 10 rounds against both Covington and Edwards, Brazilian veteran, dos Anjos has predicted the former wins welterweight gold, in an expected UFC 295 title fight in November at Madison Square Garden.
“It’s a very tough matchup,” Rafael dos Anjos said of a bout between Colby Covington and Leon Edwards during his availability with assembled media ahead of UFC Vegas 78. “I would say, 60-40. Sixty per cent chance for Colby Covington winning this fight. I give Colby a slight advantage.”
“His wrestling skills, and he’s got a pretty good standup, too,” Rafael dos Anjos explained. “But I think he’s going to mix it up more with the takedowns than (Kamaru) Usman did, and he’s going to have a better chance than Leon Edwards.”
Sidelined since March of last year, MMA Masters trainee, Covington most recently returned to the winner’s enclosure with a unanimous decision win over former welterweight title challenger and former training partner, Jorge Masvidal in the pair’s long-awaited grudge match.
