Oddsmakers have faith that the next UFC title challenger in the welterweight division will get the job done. Despite some criticism from fans and media, Dana White has doubled down that Colby Covington will get the next title shot against reigning champion Leon Edwards.
Edwards last defeated his rival and former champion Kamaru Usman in their trilogy fight at UFC 286. Covington is coming off a win over Jorge Masvidal at last year’s UFC 272.
At UFC 286 while Edwards was defending his title for the first time, Covington stepped up and weighed in as the backup in the case one of the fighters sustained a last-minute injury or failed to make weight. While both Usman and Edwards made it to the octagon, Covington’s efforts were rewarded with the promise of the next title fight.
Soon after the news broke, oddsmakers opened Edwards at +165 and Covington at -190. The UFC betting odds for this fight have since narrowed, with Edwards now at -105 and Covington at -115.
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In both cases one would have to put down slightly more than they could return, on Edwards, $105 could return a $100 profit, and on Covington putting down $115 would return a $100 profit.
For a long time, Leon Edwards was hailed as the dark horse of the division with his supreme striking skills and fight IQ, however questions regarding how he could do against the division’s best wrestlers circulated. Although he beat arguably the best of them in Usman twice, the doubts seem to still linger somewhere, as it is Covington’s high-paced wrestling skills that pose the biggest threat to the champion.
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Here are the opening odds for the pair’s last five fights:
Leon Edward’s last five fights
- vs. Kamaru Usman (W): +285
- vs. Kamaru Usman (W): +250
- vs. Nate Diaz (W): -275
- vs. Belal Muhammad (NC): -270
- vs. Rafael dos Anjos (W): -105
Colby Covington’s last five fights
- vs. Jorge Masvidal (W): -190
- vs. Kamaru Usman (L): +190
- vs. Tyron Woodley (W): -250
- vs. Kamaru Usman (L): +170
- vs. Robbie Lawler (W): -175