Leon Edwards not interested in fighting Colby Covington says "It does not make any sense"

If UFC Welterweight Champion Leon Edwards has anything to say about it, Colby Covington won't be his next title challenger.

Edwards defeated Kamaru Usman in their UFC 286 trilogy on Saturday in London. He used his signature striking, along with superb takedown defense, to stifle Usman and retain the 170lb title.

Edwards, after defeating Usman in come-from-behind fashion at UFC 278, put a stamp on his claim for the UFC welterweight belt. He doesn't have a shortage of potential title challengers, including a few contenders set to return later this year.

One such contender is Covington, who hasn't fought since a dominant win over Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272. He's been in a legal battle with Masvidal in the courtroom and has been recovering from the injuries he sustained during a Miami-area altercation.

Covington surprised many over the past few days when he weighed in as the UFC 286 backup fighter on Friday. UFC President Dana White says Covington will get the next title shot after Edwards outpointed Usman.

During his UFC 286 post-fight press conference, Edwards seemed to deny that a Covington fight is a done deal.

“I don’t know how that makes sense,” Edwards said. “He hasn’t fought for over a year-and-a-half. Sat out. Not injured. I don’t get how he just slides in for the world title shot when there’s other guys in the division that have been active and fighting. Didn’t sit out.

"I’m the king now. I’ve earned my way, so I feel like I should decide who’s next.”

Before the win over Masvidal, Covington fell short against Usman in their rematch at UFC 268. It was a close fight from start to finish, but Usman pulled out the win on the judges' scorecards.

Edwards hasn't lost a fight since his first matchup with Usman in 2015. It was a long road to the title, but Edwards is making the most of his position at the top of the division.

In addition to Covington, the Gilbert Burns vs. Masvidal winner at UFC 287 has been proposed as the next possible challenger. Although, White seems adamant that Covington will get the next shot, regardless of how UFC 287 plays out.

As Edwards awaits his next title defense, he feels Covington doesn't deserve the next shot based on merit. His title rematch win makes the welterweight division arguably more intriguing than ever, with Covington waiting in the wings for another chance at UFC gold.