Leon Edwards opens as betting underdog ahead of expected UFC 291 title fight with Colby Covington

Expected to fight former interim welterweight title challenger, Colby Covington this summer in an undisputed championship clash – current division kingpin, Leon Edwards has opened as quite the betting underdog for the clash, despite riding a stunning, division-best 12-fight undefeated streak.

Edwards, the current undisputed UFC welterweight title challenger, most recently featured in the main event of UFC 286 earlier this month in a London, England homecoming, defeating common-foe, Kamaru Usman in the pair’s trilogy title rubber match, beating the Auchi native in a close, majority decision win to defend his crown.

Covington, who clinch interim welterweight spoils back in 2018, has been sidelined since returning to the winner’s enclosure back in March of last year at UFC 272, beating former training partner and multiple-time title challenger, Jorge Masvidal in a one-sided unanimous judging success.

This week, reports emerged detailing how the UFC, who are reportedly targeting July 22. to host a pay-per-view event; UFC 291 in London, England – were aiming to book an undisputed welterweight title showdown between Edwards and Covington for the card.

And in the wake of the report, markets have opened on a potential fight between Edwards and the outspoken, Covington. In what may come as a surprise to some, current champion, Edwards has opened as a +105 betting underdog against Covington – who sits as a -125 favorite at the time of publication. If you fancy wagering on the expected title fight, most sportsbooks offer considerable outright bets and order prop bets on mixed martial arts events and fights to boot. 

Winning undisputed gold back in August of last atop a UFC 278 flagship card in Utah, Birmingham native, Edwards managed to turn around a 3-1 round deficit against the above-mentioned, Usman, stopping the then-pound-for-pound number one with a devastating fifth round high kick KO.

Suffering both a fifth round TKO loss and a rematch decision loss to former champion, Usman in his pursuit of undisputed welterweight gold, Covington defeated former undisputed lightweight champion, Rafael dos Anjos in June 2018 to win his own interim division throne. 

Despite calling for a showdown with Edwards at UFC 290 during International Fight Week in July of this year, it appears Covington – who has predicted he will beat the Briton from “pillar to post” – will have to have to settle for a trip to enemy territory two weeks later.

“Leon (Edwards), man, you need to stop hiding,” Colby Covington said. “You need to come out here and defend your f*cking country, and prove you’re a real champion. If you’re a real champion, you’ll beat anybody. So come get it, Leon – I’m waiting for you Leon Scott (sic).”

“I beat him from pillar to post,” Colby Covington explained. “I beat him everywhere. I’m a better wrestler, a better striker, [I’ve got] better Jiu-Jitsu, you know, my cardio – he can’t hang [with me]. He slows down in fights, you know, those last couple of rounds he definitely – he’ll come out hard and he’ll throw, fifty-sixty kicks, fifty-sixty punches, but then his volume changes. So I will wear him out, Michael (Bisping), and I will break him. I’ll break his will, and you will see that. That’s why he’s not selling the fight.”