"Somebody like that should never have the belt" - Former champion wants Leon Edwards to "brutally" KO Colby Covington at UFC 296

A former UFC light heavyweight champion is calling for Leon Edwards to secure a decisive knockout against Colby Covington at UFC 296, spurred by the controversial remarks 'Chaos' made about Edwards' deceased father during the press conference.

'Rocky' is gearing up to defend his welterweight title against Covington in the highly anticipated headline bout at UFC 296, the last pay-per-view event of the year. The card is set to take place on December 16 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The heated rivalry between the two escalated during the pre-fight press conference on Thursday when the former interim UFC 170 pound champion, known for his provocative statements, targeted Edwards by making offensive remarks about his late father, who was murdered in a gang-related shootout in London when 'Rocky' was only 13 years old. Covington said:

"On Saturday night, I’m going to bring you to a place you never want to be... I’m going to bring you to the seventh level of hell. We’ll say what’s up to your dad while we’re there."

After 'Chaos' brought up his deceased father, Edwards launched a water bottle across the stage at his opponent and swiftly rose from his seat. Covington mirrored the action as security rushed the stage to keep the fighters separated during the brawl.

Check out the entire drama between Leon Edwards and Colby Covington below:

Covington is facing backlash from the MMA community for his unwarranted comments, with one of the critics being former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill, who recently shared his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter):

"I hope Leon delivers one of the most brutal knocks will have ever seen on Saturday!!!! That comment about Leon's father was so low and pathetic bro somebody like that should never have a belt!!!"

Check out Hill's post below:

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Leon Edwards' divisive take on Colby Covington's UFC 296 press conference attire

Leon Edwards offered a contrasting viewpoint on Colby Covington's UFC 296 press conference attire.

Covington arrived at the presser by playfully donning the blue coat attire of George Washington, the first President of the United States, and topped it off with his trademark MAGA hat. The gesture was aimed to mock Edwards' British background, and was a reference to the war of independence fought in 1776.

However, the reigning welterweight king seized the opportunity to poke fun at Covington for his outfit:

"The guy comes here dressed like a fu*king drag queen, you know. I don't know what he is trying to go for, but fair play to him."

Check out Leon Edwards' comments below: