Jon Anik, the UFC commentator, is looking forward to the UFC 296 welterweight championship main event between Leon Edwards and Colby Covington, discussing the potential implications for both fighters’ legacies and the future of the division.
Jon Anik, like most of us, is pretty hooked on the upcoming UFC 296 welterweight championship. It’s a main event between Leon Edwards and Colby Covington. The stakes are high, not just for the current division landscape, but also for the fighters’ legacies.
Anik will be there on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. He’ll be calling the action alongside Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier. The matchup between the current champ and former interim titleholder is an interesting one, at least from a stylistic perspective.
The longtime play-by-play voice has seen the headlines. Edwards might be calling for a middleweight title shot with a win. For Covington, a victory and a championship win could tie his legacy together.
Anik told MMA Fighting, “It’s fascinating to think about what a win for both sides would do here.” He finds Covington’s case interesting. He might ask him in the fighter meeting, “Does a win here, does that put him in the Hall of Fame? Is he already there? How does his case compare to someone like Tony Ferguson, who’s also on the card here? Does Colby Covington need an undisputed championship to solidify his résumé?”
There’s so much pressure on Covington. So much at stake. For Leon Edwards, a win over Covington after two wins over Kamaru Usman would be a huge statement. It would define the Leon Edwards era. Anik hopes Edwards isn’t already thinking about moving up to 185 pounds.
The welterweight division has seen a few matchups in 2023 featuring top-ranked competitors. But there’s been little movement in the weight class since Edwards retained his title against Usman in March’s UFC 286 event. Covington hasn’t competed since defeating Jorge Masvidal in March 2022.
The card features other intriguing 170-pound tilts. Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Stephen Thompson, Vicente Luque vs. the surging Ian Machado Garry. Belal Muhammad has won nine straight and has a strong case to fight for the title against Saturday’s winner.
If Edwards wins, there’s a story there. He and Muhammad fought once before to a no-contest after an accidental eye poke. But what if Covington wins?
Anik hopes that as the undisputed champion, Covington would defend his title in three or four months. He could prove that he is the best welterweight in the world for an extended period.
Anik said of Covington, “It’s interesting. When Islam Makhachev beat Alexander Volkanovski, some people suggested he should try to be the backup for Leon Edwards and Colby Covington.”
Anik thinks the welterweight contenders deserve their due. He believes Belal Muhammed is a worthy No. 1 contender. His winning streak, his strength of schedule, the quality of his wins, all undeniable. Anik expects that Belal Muhammad’s next fight will be for the undisputed UFC welterweight championship.
Edwards vs. Covington will be the final fight of a chaotic year for the UFC. The weirdest results have seemingly happened more often than not.
Anik is interested to see how Edwards’ cardio can hold up against Covington’s unlimited gas tank. “I do think it’s a little bit of a mind f*** when you fight Colby Covington in terms of the cardio element,” Anik said.
Anik believes Leon Edwards is in the best shape of his life. He thinks Edwards needs to be mentally prepared for Covington. “It’s a fascinating fight, that’s our final flight of the year and a great way to close it out.”