On December 16 at UFC 296, UFC welterweight Leon Edwards retained his title with a unanimous decision victory over Colby Covington. While the fight didn’t live up to the hype, Edwards (22-3) displayed patience, picking his shots strategically to defeat the former interim champion. However, the fight’s legacy is being overshadowed by a social media firestorm. A clip circulating online alleges that Edwards used an illegal move to strike Covington. Adding fuel to the fire, respected former UFC referee Big John McCarthy weighed in with his take on the post.

A natural striker with a Kickboxing background, Leon Edwards showcased a surprising grappling approach in his title defense against Colby Covington. While on the ground, Edwards used a grappling maneuver to get back to his feet and launched a kick at Covington. However, controversy has erupted on social media. A popular account alleged that Edwards used an illegal technique, calling it the “‘just get up’ method followed by a high IQ fence grab to leverage a high kick.”

Weighing in on the controversy, the respected former UFC referee Big John McCarthy, offered his take on the legality of the move. In his own words, “It is illegal to grab to the cage to control either your body position or that of your opponents. Simply placing your hand against the cage or pushing off of the cage is not a foul.” McCarthy’s clarification seems to suggest the technique Edwards used might be within the rules.

This, however, isn’t the first time Edwards has faced accusations of foul play. Even before the event of UFC 296, Colby Covington publically accused Edwards of cheating in his earlier fight against Kamaru Usman in March 2023.

Colby Covington once labeled Edwards the “biggest cheater”

Known for his trash talk, Colby Covington isn’t shy about voicing his opinions, often landing himself in the spotlight with both fans and haters. Just before his December 2023 fight with Leon Edwards, Covington gave an interview to Mirror Fighting where he reignited his feud with Edwards. He called Edwards “the biggest cheater ever known,” even going so far as to label Kamaru Usman a cheater as well, though emphasizing Edwards as the biggest cheater.

“The guy’s the biggest cheater the sport’s ever seen and that’s the only way I was able to prepare for him. My main training for this camp was making sure that I kept my glasses on at all times because I didn’t want to get poked in the eye,” the fighter claimed. Covington further fueled the fire by claiming Edwards might resort to illegal moves again, including kicks to restricted areas. He finished with a fiery statement, declaring, “I can’t wait to end his reign.”

Interestingly, neither Leon Edwards nor Colby Covington have commented on the recent social media buzz surrounding the “just get up” method and the alleged fence grab. It will be interesting to see if either fighter addresses the controversy in the coming days. Meanwhile, share your thoughts about the controversy in the comments below.