Colby Covington has a unique request for the belt ceremony should he claim the welterweight belt from Leon Edwards. The fighter wants former president Donald Trump to do the honor of wrapping the belt around his waist.
Scheduled to headline UFC 296 in Las Vegas on Saturday night, Covington aims to secure the undisputed welterweight title for the third time. While UFC president Dana White usually presents the belt to the winning fighter, Covington hopes for a special moment with Trump at the event.
"I love Dana; he's the greatest promoter in the history of any sport; he's the greatest commissioner," said the American fighter.
"But I'm politely and respectfully ask Dana to step aside and let my favorite person and human alive, 45, Mr. Donald Trump put that belt around my waist."
He also envisions placing the belt back around Trump's waist, hailing him as "America's true champion" and "the greatest President of All-Time in America."
The UFC hasn't said anything about granting this request. However, similar instances, like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson presenting the BMF title to Jorge Masvidal, have occurred in the past.
"I'm going to put it right back around Donald's waist because he's the champion of the people," Covington said.
Covington and Trump share a strong friendship. The former interim champion revealed that he often seeks advice from the ex-president, who is known to be a passionate UFC fan. Last month, Trump was present at Madison Square Garden for UFC 295, garnering enthusiastic applause from the crowd.
Covington claimed that Trump had "knuckles like lunchboxes" and praised him as a great coach who provided valuable insights for his upcoming fight against Edwards.
"He is my good friend, it's not like I was just meeting up with him every couple of months," he said.
"I was at his house in Mar a Lago a couple of weeks ago, I call him regularly to ask him about a gameplan. He's given me great coaching advice for this fight."
Covington had wanted Trump to also accompany him to the octagon, but White dismissed the idea. Covington cited logistical concerns for the UFC as the reason.
Covington's confidence to defeat Edwards
Covington is confident that he will make Edwards quit or sleep. This fight is his third attempt to become the undisputed champion.
"I have the most important and famous person on planet earth coming to my fights to watch me front row. Who does Leon have?" said Covington, holding a pro-MMA record of 17-3-0.
"Leon is a nobody, he is the B-side and I'm the A-side."
Covington made his professional MMA debut in February 2012 against Chris Ensley in Midtown Throwdown 3, where he secured a victory through submission. His last appearance in the octagon dates back to March 2022, when he emerged victorious against former best-friend-turned-rival Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272.
Meanwhile, Edwards holds a record of 21 wins, three losses, and one no-contest since turning professional in 2011. Before the UFC, he competed in Fight UK MMA and BAMMA.
Edwards scored a big win at UFC 278 against Kamaru Usman on August 20, 2022. A dramatic head kick in the closing moments of the fifth round earned him a fifth-round TKO win and the welterweight title. Later at UFC 286, Edwards defended the belt in a rematch against Usman, winning via unanimous decision in a closely contested battle.
