In a surprising turn of events, Colby Covington has revealed a new factor that he believes played a significant role in his recent defeat against Leon Edwards at UFC 296. Initially attributing his loss to biased judges, Covington now claims that he suffered a broken foot within the first 30 seconds of the fight, which affected his performance throughout the bout.

Covington shared this revelation during an interview with pro-Trump podcaster Patrick Bet-David. Although he maintains his belief that the judges' bias against his vocal support for former President Donald Trump influenced the outcome, he now adds the foot injury to the list of contributing factors.

During the fight, Covington threw multiple kicks, but none landed cleanly. However, a left high kick was blocked by Edwards, resulting in a collision between Covington's foot and Edwards' elbow, causing the alleged fracture. Despite continuing to fight for the entire 25 minutes, there were subtle signs of discomfort as Covington appeared to limp and gently shake his injured foot towards the end of the first round.

Bet-David confirmed Covington's claim by mentioning that the fighter was seen wearing a boot on the affected foot while in the studio for the podcast recording. Interestingly, Covington did not disclose the injury during his post-fight news conference, instead choosing to emphasize the judges' perceived bias against him due to his support for Trump.

Notably, the main event of UFC 296 was officiated by Herb Dean, with judges Derek Cleary, Sal D'Amato, and Chris Lee responsible for scoring the bout. Insighting prior fight history, both Cleary and D'Amato were also judges for Covington's grudge match decision win over rival Jorge Masvidal. Cleary scored it 50-44 in Covington's favor, while D'Amato had it 50-45. All three judges have previously scored Covington's fights, including his losses to former champion Kamaru Usman.

It is worth mentioning that Covington had been inactive for approximately 20 months before his fight against Edwards. However, his most recent bout prior to UFC 296 was a victory against Masvidal. Covington displayed impressive stats during the fight, outstriking Edwards 109-65 and holding control for a significant period. On the other hand, Edwards successfully landed two takedowns and attempted two submissions, showcasing his well-rounded skills.

Covington, a devout Trump supporter, continues to face scrutiny for his political affiliations. Trump is faced with multiple federal indictments, including his alleged involvement in the January 6, 2021 insurrection attempt, his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia, mishandling classified documents, and falsifying business records in New York.

As fans and pundits reflect on the controversial bout between Covington and Edwards, the foot injury narrative adds another layer to the fight's story. The allegations of biased judges coupled with the revelation of a potentially impactful injury have sparked discussions within the mixed martial arts community. It remains to be seen whether this new development will have any impact on Covington's future fights.

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