The dust had barely settled in the octagon after Leon Edwards defended his UFC welterweight title against Kamaru Usman at UFC 286, when UFC president Dana White sent shockwaves through the MMA world with his announcement of the next matchup. The news of Colby Covington being selected as Edwards’ next opponent has left fight fans up in arms, with many expressing their discontent and calling foul.

This update by White quickly sparked a frenzy among the MMA community, with many expressing their dissatisfaction with the idea of Edwards vs. Covington. In fact, one fan took it upon himself to confront the 53-year-old president, leading to a heated exchange where White defended his decision with a brash response, leaving no doubt that he stands behind his choice of matchup.

Dana White isn’t taking any negativity

Dana White is no stranger to opposition from fight fans, having faced criticism and backlash numerous times throughout his tenure as president of the UFC. However, the recent encounter with a disappointed fan on Instagram proved to be a further test for the promotional frontman. In a post promoting the upcoming UFC Fight Night featuring Marlon Vera vs. Cory Sandhagen, White was reminded by a fan that the idea of Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington wasn’t enticing for anyone.

The fan wrote, “No one wants to see Edwards vs Covington”.

White didn’t hold back in his response, firing back with a strong message defending his decision to make the fight happen and wrote back, “then don’t watch it. Nobody is asking you to watch it.”

Read more: Colby Covington Rips Leon Edwards for Fumbling Big Opportunity at UFC 286 Unlike Islam Makhachev: “That’s Why He’s Not a Star”

Despite White’s determination to make the Edwards vs. Covington fight a reality, it seems even the reigning UFC welterweight champion is not entirely on board with the matchup.

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Leon Edwards himself isn’t interested in this matchup

In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Leon Edwards expressed his disappointment with the fight and his lack of interest in facing Colby Covington, stating that he would rather face someone who is a more deserving contender. ‘Rocky’ cited his journey to the championship, and he feels that Covington shouldn’t just get up there without any activity for over a year.

The Englishman said, “I definitely have a say, you know? And listen, he [Colby Covington] ain’t getting the title shot next fight.”

He continued, “Look at the road I had to take to get there. There’s no way you’re getting beat twice by the guy that I just beat twice, went out and beat [Jorge] Masvidal, and then sit out for a year and a half, not even tweeting or nothing, just go missing for a year, and then randomly pops up at the weigh-ins and it’s like, ‘Okay, he’s fighting for the title next.’ It makes no sense.”

Despite this, White remains resolute in his decision to make the fight happen. Now it’s about time to see how it will all play out in the end.

What is your take on this fight? Do you think Colby Covington deserves a title shot? Let us know your take in the comments below.

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