Former UFC interim champion Colby Covington has attributed his loss against Leon Edwards at UFC 296 in Las Vegas, Nevada, to the presence of former President Donald Trump at the event. Covington, known for his controversial remarks, had engaged in a heated rivalry with Edwards leading up to the fight, which took place on December 16.

During the pre-fight news conference, Covington had mocked Edwards' late father, who tragically lost his life when Edwards was only 13 years old. Tensions were already running high as a result of this disrespectful behavior. Although the situation almost escalated into a physical altercation, the drama was eventually put to rest inside the octagon.

Donald Trump, a close ally of Covington, was in attendance at the T-Mobile Arena, watching the fight from cageside. However, despite the former president's presence, Edwards emerged victorious, securing a unanimous decision with a score of 49-46 from all three judges. This enabled Edwards to retain his championship.

In the post-fight press conference, Covington expressed his belief that the game was rigged against him due to his support for Trump. Wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat, he stated that Edwards had not inflicted significant damage on him and expressed confidence that he had done enough to secure a win. However, Covington insisted that judges have historically been biased against him, attributing it to his public endorsement of Trump. While his claim is yet to be verified, Covington's comments have drawn attention and sparked criticism.

A video of Covington's remarks was shared by Ron Filipkowski, editor-in-chief of MeidasTouch.com, on X, formerly known as Twitter. The caption accompanying the video read: "Dude is complaining that he lost his fight last night but it was rigged because he loves Trump!"

Social media users quickly took to the comment section to criticize Covington for playing the victim card. Some argued that his statement reflected a typical tendency among MAGA Republicans to evade responsibility for their failures. Others emphasized the importance of resilience and not resorting to whining when faced with defeat.

During his post-fight speech, Covington further expressed his support for Trump, deviating from the fight-related questions posed by Joe Rogan. He praised Trump's ability to "make America great again" and touched upon topics such as reducing inflation and securing borders, urging viewers to vote for Trump in the upcoming 2024 election.

On the other hand, Edwards used his time for an emotional speech, labeling Covington as a "dirty human being" for trivializing the death of his father. Edwards revealed that the fight had been highly emotional for him, as Covington had used his father's murder as a source of entertainment. Despite the hurtful comments made by his opponent, Edwards managed to maintain his composure and secure an important victory.

Covington's initial plan had been to have Trump accompany him to the octagon. However, logistical challenges regarding security prevented this arrangement from materializing. Nonetheless, Covington expressed his intention to embrace Trump before entering the octagon and anticipated seeing him cageside, where he believed Trump would be placing the championship belt around his waist.

In the aftermath of the intense matchup between Covington and Edwards, discussions surrounding the impact of political affiliations on sporting events have reignited. While some argue that athletes should refrain from mixing sports and politics, others maintain that freedom of expression extends to all aspects of life, including professional sports.