“I Knew What He Was Involved In” – Chilling Moments Just Before Father’s Murder and Mother’s Desperate Phone Call, Leon Edwards Once Confessed It All to Joe Rogan

Colby Covington doesn’t hold back when it comes to trash-talking his opponents. He was in the news again when ‘Chaos’ implied upcoming UFC 296 opponent Leon Edwards‘ father was in hell (the seventh circle of hell, to be precise) during the press conference for the main event on December 16 card in Las Vegas. Edwards, predictably, did not take the comment well and threw a water bottle at the Miami resident who managed to block it.

Covington’s comment has sparked outrage among UFC fans, who saw it as a clear case of crossing the line. Others, however, pointed out that this was the #4 ranked welterweight’s attempt to get under Edwards’ skin and argued that even trash talk that goes too far is still within the remit of the sport as it generates headlines and helps sell the fight. Amid this controversy, let us take a look at when Edwards discussed finding out his father had died on Joe Rogan‘s podcast.

Leon Edwards discusses his father’s demise with Joe Rogan

Leon Edwards was 13 years old when his father died. The welterweight champion was born in poverty in Kingston, Jamaica. His family soon moved to the UK, where his father got involved with the wrong crowd, getting in trouble with the law.

On an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast (JRE MMA Show #106) in March 2021, Edwards told Rogan that even as a young child, he had expected his father to meet a bad end because of the circles he was involved in. The welterweight champion said that one night when he was 13, the phone in his home rang. His mother answered the phone and started crying soon after. She then came into Edwards’ room to inform him that his father had passed away in London.

“I knew what he was involved in, and I knew eventually, something was gonna happen to him… It was probably like 2 in the morning. I was in my room. She was in her room. We hear the phone ringing. I heard her crying, and I knew from then something bad, you know,” Edwards told Rogan.

“Eventually, she came into my room and just told me this, your dad’s just got killed in London,” he added. And now, Edwards is determined to get even with Covington for perhaps the most offensive comments made in a UFC presser.

After Covington’s initial comments and fans’ backlash, you would think ‘Chaos’ would settle. Not at all! In a follow-up interview with AGFight, he tried reasoning his previous comments and it seemed like he was less than done when he was interrupted by a bottle that came flying through the other side. He opened up, “What about all the victims of the harm that Leon’s father did to them? He was a s*x trafficker, he was a drug lord, he killed people… That guy is a scumbag, why would I feel bad? I have no sympathy for that guy.”

“If he wants to come and do something, try and punch me in the face, try and knock me out, come try b*tch, I’ll be waiting for you.” Edwards hasn’t been quiet either. He vowed, “That man is as good as dead tomorrow. Make sure he keeps everything he said about my dad… tomorrow, we settle it.” So, did he keep his promise?

UFC champ gets back at Colby Covington at UFC 296

Amid all this ruckus, with Edwards’s UFC welterweight title on the line, it is interesting that as opposed to Covington who hasn’t stepped in the cage since March 2022 after defeating Jorge Masvidal, Edwards has won 11 fights in a row, while Covington hasn’t stepped in the cage since March of last year when he defeated Jorge Masvidal via unanimous decision at UFC 272.

In the main event that went the full five rounds, Edwards was calm and collected, steadily ripping Chaos apart as the latter practically watched the former mixing in takedowns as well as a submission attempt to secure the win. Covington executed a takedown later in the fight, but it was too little too late. Edwards dominated Covington in almost all aspects of the fight to secure a unanimous decision victory.

The champion fought like one and outclassed Covington. He lost only the final round where Covington found some success with his grappling. At the end of the night, all three scorecards read 49-46 in favor of the Jamaican-born Brit. In the end, Edwards confessed, “This fight was very emotional for me… He used my dad’s murder as entertainment. It took a lot for me to calm down and stay focused and come into this fight. After the press conference, I went backstage, I was crying just from the rage… To this day, it still breaks my heart.”

Leon Edwards says his mom played his father’s role in a crime-ridden neighborhood

Long before settling the score with ‘Chaos’ and defending his title against Kamaru Usman at UFC 286, the welterweight champion opened up about his father. He revealed that after the loss of his father, it was his mother who took up the role of a single parent and raised Edwards. Kingston was indeed a neighborhood filled with crime. It was definitely not a safe environment for a child to grow up in.

Therefore, the Edwards family immigrated to London for a better life. Now that ‘Rocky’ has become the champion of the world, he strives to become a role model for his son. As he gets ready to face Belal Muhammad at UFC 304, he receives quite a bit of support from his family. After all, he knows what it’s like to feel the absence of a father pretty well.