Colby Covington, known for his outspoken nature, initially attributed ring rust to his lackluster performance against Leon Edwards at UFC 296 after nearly two years away from the octagon. However, in a recent revelation on the PBD podcast, Covington disclosed that he also suffered an early fight injury, impacting his performance significantly.
According to Covington, he broke his foot within the first 30 seconds of the fight when Edwards' elbow blocked his initial kick. Despite the pain and swelling, Covington kept the injury hidden from his coaches in the corner, fearing the broadcast would pick up the information, potentially reaching Edwards.
"I broke my foot in like the first 30 seconds of the fight, that people don’t know about yet – the X-rays will start coming out," Covington explained. "The first minute of the fight. I have the picture on my phone, the exact moment where it landed on his elbow."
Throughout the bout, Covington seemed reserved, sitting on his backfoot near the cage while Edwards fired shots from a distance. The foot injury hindered his movement, and he struggled to engage with Edwards, who capitalized on the situation with a series of leg kicks, causing extensive bruising on Covington's thigh.
Despite the impact of Edwards' kicks, Covington believes the foot injury played a more significant role in his performance. He stated, "I wasn’t really able to step on it, so that’s why he was landing a couple of kicks on my right thigh."
In the aftermath of the defeat, Covington insisted he deserved the victory, contrasting UFC CEO Dana White's assessment that he looked "slow and old." Covington's record now stands at 2-3 in his past five UFC fights, with this loss marking his third unsuccessful attempt to secure the undisputed UFC belt.
Reflecting on the challenges posed by the foot injury, Covington emphasized its impact on mobility, acknowledging the difficulties he faced during the fight. Despite the setbacks, he expressed resilience, stating, "It’s tough. It limits your mobility. I couldn’t really move after that. I was kind of stuck in place, and I was just trying to make sure that I could get through the fight. I never quit."