Henry Cejudo Predicts Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington From UFC 296

The mixed martial arts(MMA) leader has been making a series of announcements regarding his fight schedule for the final quarter of 2023, which recently included a headlining bout for the year-end pay-per-view.

Colby Covington UFC

UFC 296, which will be held on December 16, will be headlined by the current welterweight champion, Leon Edwards. Nine months after his successful first defense against Kamaru Usman, “Rocky” will once again put the gold on the line. On his way to retaining his second title will be Colby Covington, who has been considered next in line since he showed up as a reserve fighter for UFC 286 last March.

Although many were opposed to “Chaos” receiving a third undisputed title shot in five fights, taking into account that he lost the previous two, the UFC has remained firm in its wishes and has placed the French American against the British champion of Jamaican origin.

As expected, predictions have varied. While Ian Machado Garry has predicted a convincing win for Edwards, a former two-division champion strongly supports the challenger.

Cejudo predicts a new champion when Covington challenges Edwards

During a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, former flyweight and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo gave his immediate reaction to the officialization of the fight between Edwards and Covington.

Having previously expressed confidence that his compatriot would achieve it against “Rocky”, Cejudo reiterated that prediction while explaining why “Chaos” has the tools to achieve what Usman failed to do twice in recent memory.

“I think it’s a great fight for him. I think Kamaru Usman, when he lost the second fight, was playing more trying to hit. He wasn’t using wrestling from him,” Cejudo said. «In the first fight… he was winning that fight. He was fighting in the best way you could think of; very tactical, very strategic, taking this guy down, hitting him on the ground.

“The thing with Colby Covington and Leon Edwards, Colby Covington only has one style, and that style is just fight, hug you,” Cejudo continued. “Yes, his fighting style is boring. He just hugs your legs. But Colby finishes people off… This match is perfect for Colby. I think we are going to have a new champion. “I don’t think Leon Edwards’ takedown defense is enough against a guy like Colby Covington.”

Since his second failed shot at undisputed glory in November 2021, Covington has only competed once, beating the now-retired Jorge Masvidal in the main event of UFC 272 last March. While that left many fighters, fans, pundits and Edwards himself dismissing the Miami native’s title credentials, Covington will look to make the most of his last and potentially last chance to reach the top of welterweight.