Colby Covington may be the challenger, but he still opened as the betting favorite over reigning UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards in a potential matchup between them.
In the aftermath of UFC 286 on Saturday, UFC president Dana White declared that Covington will get the next shot at Edwards after “Rocky” earned a second win over Kamaru Usman in the main event. Covington has fought for the title twice previously but came up short in both attempts in past fights against Usman. Nonetheless, it appears he’ll get a third opportunity now that Edwards is champion.
Here are the opening odds courtesy of BetOnline.ag.
- Colby Covington: -135
- Leon Edwards: +115
For those unfamiliar, that means a $100 bet on Edwards as the underdog would result in a $115 payout should he be victorious. Meanwhile, it would take a $135 bet on Covington to win back $100 if he is able to beat Edwards and become champion.
Edwards has yet to be the betting favorite in a UFC title bout. He was also a decided underdog in two championship bouts against Usman, both of which he won.
Regardless of the odds, Edwards has continued to put together great performances, including his stunning fifth-round knockout to beat Usman this past August to win the UFC welterweight title before his second straight victory on Saturday night.
As for Covington, he’s been out of action for the past year after dispatching Jorge Masvidal by unanimous decision, which brought his overall record to 2-2 in his last four fights. Covington’s two losses have both come to Usman. He also holds a win over ex-UFC champion Tyron Woodley.