Leon Edwards had a victorious homecoming at UFC 286 when he defeated longtime welterweight kingpin Kamaru Usman to retain the 170 pound belt. With that win he turned the primary British champion to defend his title, and a bona fide star within the U.Ok.
With these credentials, he expects the UFC to place just a little weight behind his needs and wishes shifting ahead — particularly with regards to which welterweight contender he’ll face subsequent. Following the occasion on the O2 Area, UFC president Dana White declared Colby Covington the following challenger for the belt. Leon made it clear he wasn’t .
“I’m the king now, I’ve earned my method,” he stated, justifying the onerous cross. “I really feel like I ought to resolve who’s subsequent, so yeah.”
Who would “Rocky” prefer to face as an alternative? One other hard-nosed fighter that’s been compelled to make their very own method like Belal Muhammad? No! As a substitute, Edwards wish to search revenge towards Jorge Masvidal over an notorious 2019 backstage punch-up the place “Gamebred” fed Leon a ‘three piece and soda.’
“Yeah. I simply don’t like him. So I really feel like that’s one I must get again,” Edwards stated through the UFC 286 post-fight press convention. “There’s a storyline there to inform. So yeah, if he will get the job executed [against Gilbert Burns], I’ll take a look. I’ll take into account it. If he begs me, then I’d let him slide in right here.”
Masvidal will face Gilbert Burns at UFC 287 on April eighth and is seeking to snap a 3 struggle shedding streak. Granted, these losses are to Kamaru Usman twice and Colby Covington, so it’s not like he’s shedding to scrubs. Nonetheless, it will make giving him a title shot considerably controversial, particularly after declaring Covington doesn’t deserve one.
That doesn’t matter to Edwards, although. For him, it’s in regards to the narrative surrounding the struggle.
Scorching take: Jorge Masvidal owes all his success to Leon Edwards. With out that confrontation backstage at UFC London, Masvidal wouldnt be almost as large as he’s immediately. Im simply sayin…. pic.twitter.com/CodktZ0dh8
— Uptown Funk (@Uptown_MMA) April 16, 2020
“I believe there’s a storyline for that struggle, proper?” he urged. “I really feel the Colby struggle, there’s actually no storyline. The man sat out for a yr after which slid right into a title shot. It’s bizarre, you already know?”
There’s little question a struggle between Leon Edwards and Jorge Masvidal would generate an entire lot of cash. The UFC clearly thinks Edwards vs. Covington would as nicely. It simply doesn’t include an opportunity for “Rocky” to avenge the assault he suffered by the hands of Masvidal 4 years in the past.
Who do you need to see Edwards defend his title towards subsequent, Maniacs?
