The fight world is just hours from witnessing the final chapter of the UFC 2024 saga as UFC on ESPN 63 unfolds in Tampa, Florida. And what better way to close the year than with welterweight star Colby Covington, the promotion’s quintessential heel persona, stepping back into the Octagon? ‘Chaos’ is set to face Missouri prospect Joaquin Buckley this weekend after nearly a year-long hiatus.

Colby Covington will look to bounce back from his bitter defeat to then-division champion Leon Edwards, a loss that still lingers as a sour memory. Although ‘Rocky’ is no longer the champion, the grueling five-round battle continues to haunt the NCAA Division-1 wrestler. Despite trying every weapon in his arsenal, both professionally and personally—even resorting to trash talk by bringing up Edwards’ late father—the California native was unable to crack the Birmingham native’ fortress-like defense.

Now, almost exactly a year later, Colby Covington recently opened up about his disappointing performance. In an interview with Sportsnet reporter Aaron Bronsteter, ‘Chaos’ reflected on the loss, revealing what he believes contributed to his poor showing. Bronsteter wrote on social media: “Colby Covington believes that altitude poisoning from training at high elevation was a big reason on his poor performance when he challenged Leon Edwards for the welterweight championship last year.”

Colby Covington explained that training in Breckenridge, Colorado, just a week before the fight, negatively impacted his cardio. Breckenridge is located approximately 9,000 feet above sea level—a drastic change for the former interim welterweight champion, who had never trained at high altitude before. He stated that the altitude “shocked the lungs and body.” Further elaborating on the matter, the California native revealed a medical issue he faced before the fight.

Covington told Bronsteter that he had to visit the ER, where he was diagnosed with HAPE (High Altitude Pulmonary Edema), a severe form of altitude sickness. ‘Chaos’ explained: “Doctors put me on oxygen tanks,” highlighting the toll the elevation took on his preparation. However, Colby Covington didn’t stop there. It seems the former interim champion had more to share about the reasons behind his lackluster performance at UFC 296. Adding to his explanation, ‘Chaos’ provided yet another factor he believes contributed to his bitter defeat against Leon Edwards. Let’s delve into what he revealed next.

What else contributed to Colby Covington’s loss to Leon Edwards?

Despite Colby Covington trailing behind Leon Edwards in the odds before UFC 296, no one expected the outcome to be such a disappointing loss for the former interim champion. Known for his relentless cardio, even Covington’s stamina couldn’t stand up against someone like ‘Rocky’. However, his ‘gas tank’ wasn’t the only thing that betrayed him that night—his body also failed him in his third attempt to capture the division belt.

In the same interview, Covington revealed that he broke his foot just 30 seconds into the fight when he tried to strike Edwards with an elbow. The Florida-based fighter told Aaron Bronsteter, “In the first 30 seconds, I throw a kick, I break my foot in three different places. So that’s not a reflection of who I am and how I fight. I was just compromised. It wasn’t my night, and that happens. It’s one fight. I’ve had 22 fights.” Despite the setback, ‘Chaos’ remained unshaken by the lackluster performance, sticking to the belief that one fight doesn’t define him. He explained, “So, you’re going to have some hiccups here and there. I had a lot of adversity that I had to face in that fight.”

What do you think of Colby Covington’s comments? While it’s difficult to judge his condition before or during the fight, all eyes are now on the night of December 14th, in Tampa, Florida. It will be interesting to see if ‘Chaos’ can recover from his previous loss or if he’ll offer another explanation for his defeat. Stay tuned for more updates.