UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards has promised to make Colby Covington pay for the now infamous remarks made about his late father, saying: “That man is as good as dead”.

Edwards will look to defend UFC gold for a second straight time against America’s fighting villain Covington at UFC 296 in Las Vegas, Sunday.

The headliner will be the culmination of hyped, and at times dark, build-up which this week saw Covington reference the champ’s father who was murdered in a London nightclub when he was 13.

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Taking centre stage during the UFC 296 press conference, Covington suggested he would take the champ “to the seventh layer of hell” before adding: “We’ll say ‘what’s up’ to your dad while we’re there”.

A furious Edwards immediately hurled a water bottle at Covington before then doubling down at Saturday’s weigh-in.

Asked about the emotional build by UFC analyst Joe Rogan, he said: “That man is as good as dead tomorrow.

“Make sure you keep everything you said about my dad, because tomorrow we settle it”.

Covington, meanwhile, was his usual Trump-supporting self, shouting to the Las Vegas crowd: “Are you ready for the American Revolution?

“This fight tomorrow is for all the men and women in law enforcement.

“All our troops, past and present.

“And it’s for the whole entire MAGA movement.

“You can delay us but you cannot deny us.

“Trump is taking back the White House and I’m taking back the undisputed tomorrow night”.

Then after a short pause, and as his fans cheered, the challenger shouted: “This one is for America … let’s go”.

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During the face off at the ceremonial weigh-ins, UFC boss Dana White and security staff were forced to keep the pair apart.

Earlier at the official weigh-in, both headliners made weight — with Covington hitting the scales at 76.8kg (169.5pd) and Edwards slightly heavier, at 77.1kg (170pd).

Arriving for the UFC 296 press conference dressed as George Washington on Friday (Australian time), Covington’s gimmick took an uneasy turn when he referenced Edwards’ father being in hell.

It formed part of an event 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”.

Since his incredible rise to becoming UFC champion, Edwards has opened up on a past which includes his late father being a leading gangster who, dubbed ‘The General’, was eventually murdered 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.

UFC security quickly intervened.

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.