In his past outing at UFC 296, Covington fell short in his third attempt at undisputed gold when he lost a unanimous decision to Leon Edwards. Covington broke his foot early in the fight and has something to prove to those writing him off after that performance.

Covington earned his keep in the UFC with a forward-moving, volume-striking attack that opened opportunities for his standout wrestling, achieving few wins by stoppage but proving time and again to be adept at outlasting opponents over the course of three- and five-round fights.