Edwards throws water bottle at Covington after insult toward late father

Warning: Videos contain coarse language

UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards threw a water bottle at Colby Covington at the UFC 296 press conference Thursday after Covington brought up Edwards' late father.

During a fiery exchange, Covington said he planned to take Edwards to the "seventh layer (of) hell" when they meet for the 170-pound title in Saturday's main event in Las Vegas. Covington said he and Edwards would be able to "say what's up" to Edwards' father, who was murdered in a London nightclub when Edwards was 13 years old.

Edwards picked up a water bottle off the dais and chucked it at Covington, stood up, and tried to get at his opponent. The two fighters were held back by security.

When asked later in the press conference whether the fight had become more personal as a result of Covington's comment, Edwards said "not really" and that Covington is "a piece of shit."

Edwards was then asked what the remark said about Covington's character, but the champion didn't pick up the microphone.

Edwards and Covington had their first staredown at the end of the presser, and security kept them far apart.

Edwards-Covington headlines a stacked year-end card for the UFC at T-Mobile Arena.