Leon Edwards is finally getting his long-awaited rematch with UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, but he’s already looking past “The Nigerian Nightmare” to another opponent. He’s nursed a grudge against Jorge Masvidal for years now, and told The MMA Hour that he expects to make his first title defense against Masvidal in London.
The fire in his belly comes from Masvidal reportedly pulling out of a scheduled fight at UFC 269.
“I thought, you little p****. I don’t know that he would have done it anyway. I have a feeling he wouldn’t have done it. I don’t think he wants to fight. I’ve always said that he doesn’t want to fight me. Honestly, I would have loved for that fight to happen.
Edwards Blasts “Little Rat” Masvidal
When I win the belt, I’ll give him the title shot. That would be a fantastic fight in the U.K. Bring it back to The O2 where it happened, for the title. That’s what I want to do after this. I’ll offer it to him.
I’ll offer it to him if it happens in the U.K., for sure. My dream scenario would be to bring him back to London and headline London. I’ve never gotten the opportunity to headline London. First I was supposed to do it with [Tyron] Woodley, then that got cancelled because of COVID. So I’ve always wanted to come back home and do it.”
The Edwards-Masvidal beef stretches back to 2019, when the pair had a run-in backstage at UFC London, and Masvidal hit Edwards with a “three-piece and soda”. More recently, Masvidal assaulted another long-term rival, Colby Covington, at a Miami steakhouse, and is now facing serious charges. Leon Edwards was unimpressed.
“That boy’s a little rat. Colby shouldn’t have snitched, but Masvidal, he’s like a little rat. He’s like a sneaky, run up behind you, throw a shot, and ducks off. He’s a weirdo. A weird, weird man.”
Edwards knows that, if he manages to defeat Kamau Usman at UFC 278, a trilogy bout to offer Usman a chance to recapture the title is very likely.
“I believe that’s going to happen as well, but I’d love to have the Masvidal fight. I think that would be a great [fight] and a great backstory to it, but I think that’s going to happen. I’ll beat [Usman] in August and they’ll want a rematch at the end of the year, December-ish. But we’ll see what’s going to happen.”
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