America’s fighting villain Colby Covington may have been jokingly dressed up as George Washington, but it was a sledge about his rival’s murdered father that saw Friday’s UFC 296 press conference turn suddenly dark, and violent.

No stranger to questionable comments, Covington’s gimmick took an uneasy turn on stage during this hyped Las Vegas event when he referenced the father of UFC welterweight champ Leon Edwards being in hell.

The ugly sledge was part of a press conference where the title challenger also slammed Irish UFC star Ian Garry, his wife Layla – “who has f…ed her” – joked that UFC favourite Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson was a pedophile and labelled English fighters Edwards and Paddy Pimblett “redcoat motherf…ers”.

UFC 296: Edwards vs Covington | SUN 17th DEC 2PM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports. Starting January 2024, Main Event on Kayo Sports and Foxtel will be the exclusive home of UFC Pay-Per-View events in Australia.

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Still, it was the quote about Edwards’ late father on which the event almost changed dramatically.

Hailing from the UK, Edwards has spoken before about his incredible past, which includes his late father being a leading gangster who, dubbed ‘The General’, was eventually murdered inside a London nightclub when the fighter was only 13.

Covington surprisingly used that backstory to bait the champ on stage when he suggested, during the fight, he would be “bringing you to the seventh layer of hell”.

Then, after a brief pause, Chaos added: “We’ll say “what’s up” to your dad while we’re there”.

That remark prompted a suddenly irate Edwards to, first, hurl a water bottle across stage at his rival before then jumping to his feet and moving, at speed, in that direction himself — where Chaos, having dodged said missle, was up himself.

UFC security quickly intervened and, for a time, it seemed the press conference may be called off right there.

All this, remember, with Covington not only dressed as George Washington, but wearing oversized sunglasses and his signature Make America Great Again hat.

While both fighters eventually returned to their seats, Edwards was clearly upset by the remark – and refused to speak further on it when asked by a journalist.

He did, however urge Covington to keep the same energy backstage, with the pair almost coming together again during the face off despite the heavy presence of security.

Incredibly, the madness effectively started from the opening question when Edwards was asked about his opponent’s choice of fancy dress.

“He’s dressed like a f…ing drag queen,” the champ shrugged of an outfit referencing the American Revolution, when back in the 1700s Washington led his US army to a famed victory over the Brits.

“I don’t get what he’s going for.”

“Of course you don’t know what I’m going for,” Covington shot back. “You didn’t even graduate elementary school.

“You’re a f…ing idiot.

“Honestly, what’s your level of education? Did you graduate elementary school?

“Nah, you didn’t.”

Then, leaning further into his gimmick he continued: “OK, I got a question for the people.

“Did you come out here to support these redcoat mother…ers, or did you come to be part of the American revolution.”

Cue raucous cheers.

But still, Chaos wasn’t done.

“Alright, I got one more survey for you all,” he said, already grinning at the punchline he knew was coming.

“How many of you guys have f…ed Ian Garry’s wife?”

More cheers.

UFC 296: Edwards vs Covington | SUN 17th DEC 2PM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports. Starting January 2024, Main Event on Kayo Sports and Foxtel will be the exclusive home of UFC Pay-Per-View events in Australia.

“Oh, man,” he cackled of the fighter who has been widely panned over the past month, particularly around his wife, whose surname he took on, having written a book about how to be a WAG.

A fighter who, also set to appear at UFC 296, Covington promised to verbally tear strips from until his shock withdrawal this week due to a reported case of pneumonia.

Still, Covington had has material and, damn it, he was going to use it.

“Wow,” he said as the fans continued cheering has Layla question. “I feel bad for the UFC, that’s a lot of names they’re going to have to put on their fight kits.”

Covington would also take a seperate shot at the wife of Garry again later saying: “I was going to teach Ian the lesson, you don’t make a ho a housewife”.

Of course, we could also tell you how later in proceedings, UFC legend Tony Ferguson and Paddy the Baddy got into it about all sorts of things, including their own fight this Sunday, Instagram blocking and the former’s watch.

But undeniably, and for all sorts of reasons, this one belonged to Covington.

A fighter who insisted Edwards would be an easier opponent for him than former champ Kamaru Usman, who he lost twice against – and who then subsequently lost twice to the new champ.

During that particular exchange, Edwards urged him to “shut the f… up” before Covington hit back, accusing him of dodging a fight because “you had the sniffles”.

And on it went.

At one point, Covington even took a shot at ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson, the UFC fighter who runs a karate school with his father, shouting: “Guys, you’re saying Stephen is so nice.

“I gotta ask, him and dad drive around in a van with no windows and they lure kids into the bus with candy and karate and tell ‘em ‘let’s go back to the dojo’.

“I gotta be honest, Stephen shouldn’t be on the top 10 list, he shouldn’t be on the pound for pound list. But he should be on that list all the community knows about.

“I’m not saying he’s a pedophile but he checks all the boxes”.

Asked about Thompson’s fight against Shavkat Rakhmonov, Chaos shrugged: “No one gives a f… about that fight.

“They came to see me.

“That’s it.

“They didn’t come to see anybody else.

“I don’t care who is on my prelims. Why would I care who is on my prelims?”

Then Covington argued with UFC great Ferguson – who was later be happy enough jawing with Pimblett – about who was more American, about his six-fight losing streak and more.

Then, they finished up saying they were fighting for “Team America mother…ers”.

“F… these redcoat mother…ers,” Covington said again, just as he would also lean into his relationship with former US President Donald Trump.

A connection Edwards has previously panned.

“Of course he can’t understand the obsession,” the challenger said.

“Because he doesn’t have any fans who are famous.

“Who is he bringing out? The Royal Family? Paddington Beear? 007?

“He can 007 f… himself.”

Yet the biggest moment came midway through the event, when Covington was asked about Usman recently declaring him the bigger draw of the two fighters.

“Usman is a smart man who knows what he is talking about,” he said.

“He has got Pay-Per-View cheques from both of us and he didn’t cash when he fought this f…ing bum.

“He (Edwards) has got the personality of a slug.

“He makes Usman look like James f…ing Brown.”

Then after some more jawing Chaos gained enough clear air to continue: “You’re so f…ing stupid.

“I’m going to bring you to the seventh layer of hell.

“We’ll say what’s up to your dad while we’re there.”

At which point, everything exploded.

“Little f…ing pussy,” Covington would then shout as security raced in to separate the pair. “Ultimate Feeling Champion.

“He ain’t no Ultimate Fighting Champion.

“He’s the Ultimate Feeling Champion.

“Waaaa.

“Guys, you better get the f…ing tissues ready”.

At which point, a chant broke out of U-S-A, U-S-A ….

“Yeah, 1776,” Covington shouted. “This is the American revolution.

“General Washington started it … General Covington ends it.”