UFC 296: Leon Edwards says he and Colby Covington are 'total opposites'

Edwards is undefeated in 12 fights

It is the end of November and Leon Edwards is taking part in the final wrestling class of his training camp before flying to Las Vegas.

Edwards is dressed in his training gear and a beanie hat - it's cold in Birmingham, and steam is billowing from each fighter as their sweat touches the chilly air.

Edwards runs through a training drill with his partner, before sitting and listening attentively to coach Kamby Banger.

Banger tells Edwards, the UFC welterweight champion, that he could have shifted his weight more efficiently during the former exercise.

Edwards takes it on board, and in the next drill gains back control of his partner, before submitting him with a rear-naked choke.

At 32, it is Edwards' humility and willingness to continue to adapt and learn, which is driving him on to greatness.

"I think once you become a champion it cements the confidence you had in yourself and your team," Edwards tells BBC Sport.

"I think that's what it is, my confidence has grown leaps and bounds. It all confirms it, what you're doing in the gym is right, the team you're with is right and everything you've been thinking over the years, that you're going be world champion, it confirms it all, so I feel that's the difference."

Edwards is just over two weeks away from making the second defence of his welterweight title at UFC 296 against American Colby Covington at the T-Mobile Arena on 16 December.

As the training session comes to an end, the gym applauds Edwards and wishes him good luck.

"I'm on an 11-fight win streak - one of the longest in the UFC in general," said Edwards.

"So I feel if I go out there, keep adding these new guys to my reign, when it's all said and done I think I'll go down as one of the best of all time."

'Covington is the total opposite to me'

After beating Kamaru Usman last August in stunning fashion to become Britain's second UFC champion after Michael Bisping in 2016, Edwards faced Usman again in March, making a successful defence.

Edwards says he is looking forward to moving on from Usman and facing the challenge Covington poses, but admits the 35-year-old is the "total opposite" to him.

The high-pressure, wrestling heavy style of Covington differs to Edwards' counter-striking game, but the pair also have contrasting personalities.

While Edwards is quietly confident, former interim welterweight champion Covington is outwardly brash, donning colourful suits, engaging in trash talk to try to gain a psychological edge over opponents, as well as creating headlines and soundbites which can help in building a buzz around fights.

Covington often creates nicknames for his opponents and has crowned Edwards 'Leon Edwards-Scissorhands' after the character played by Johnny Depp in the 1990 movie.

A relaxed Edwards laughs while doing an impression of the persona Covington adopts, before describing the differences between the pair.

"He's totally the opposite to me. He came out and said he was going to be cut from the UFC [in 2018] and he created this character, and that's the character he's in and he's running with right now," said Edwards.

"No [he doesn't irritate]. I think it's funny, because some of the stuff he comes out with just doesn't make any [sense]. For him it's worked, fans have got on board while he plays this character. It's like the WWE right? You got to take it for what it is and enjoy it for what it is.

"It's easier to banter because you know he's being a fool. We're two different human beings and we wouldn't be friends outside fighting and we won't be friends while we are fighting."

'It's going to be a mad press conference'

As well as Covington, the fight card features two further outspoken fighters competing in Britain's Paddy Pimblett and Ireland's Ian Garry.

Pimblett, 28, takes on fellow lightweight Tony Ferguson, while Garry, 26, is set to face Vicente Luque at welterweight.

"It's going to be funny, it's going to be a mad press conference," said Edwards.

"There's a lot of mouth talking at this press conference. So I'm excited just to go there and enjoy it."

Edwards has been involved in a spat with Garry in recent weeks, with the Irishman claiming Edwards and his team kicked him out of their gym after training together earlier this year.

"He's an all right kid but he's one of these guys who comes to the gym - he's got his missus, his kids, his cameras, everything is recorded," said Edwards.

"And it's a little bit sneaky you know. You come to the gym today and you can see we're all friendly, and a family unit, so I feel having someone who's a bit sneaky in the gym, it was just weird energy to have in the gym. Obviously, the coaches asked him to leave and that was it.

"I have a lot of welterweights in my gym that I train with, so that's not the case as far as 'I'm scared to fight Ian'.

"When I was fighting Usman, [Garry] was telling me stuff about Usman from when he used to train with Usman in America. So I feel like if he was doing that to Usman, he was doing that to me as well.

"I wish you well with your career and good luck."

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