Leon Edwards has made an impressive run on the welterweight title. In the six years since he faced now-champion Kamaru Usman, Edwards hasn’t lost a single fight. However, it’s not just opponents in the Octagon that Edwards need to defeat in order to get his title shot. He believes the UFC itself is deliberately holding him back.
In a recent interview on The MMA Hour, Edwards expressed his belief that the UFC is keeping him away from the welterweight belt.
Leon Edwards Believes UFC Deliberately Holding Him Back
“It’s been six years since my last loss. Colby got beat by the champion, fought Woodley, the fight ended by injury, sat out for over a year and got a title shot.
But when I go on and get 10 fights in a row, now, ‘He needs one more.’ Every time, it’s one more. I think they’re trying to get me beat, but I cannot lose. I truly believe that I will be the next world champion. They’re trying to hold me back from it, but it’s coming. I truly believe it.”
Edwards’ last fight, against Nate Diaz, nearly came to a grisly end when Edwards was visibly rocked by a last-second Diaz punch. Edwards still won the fight via decision, but it was close, and he knew that momentary lapse would cost him a title shot. His frustration with the UFC’s handling of his win streak is palpable.
““As soon as I left the octagon, I said, to my coaches, ‘F*ck,’” he said. “I feel that they’re trying to use that as an excuse.
I thought it was a sport where if you go out and beat and compete and win, you get your shot. But if that’s what I have to do to get my shot is to go take pictures and selfies and be pally-pally to everyone, then I don’t know.”
As for who’s left in the welterweight division for Edwards to fight – apart from Kamaru Usman – he was similarly irritable. “I thought Masvidal was an option, but [his camp is] saying next year, and I’m not waiting until next year.
If I’m waiting until next year, I might as well be fighting for the world title. Why would I wait for a man I’ve called out for three years, turned me down for three years. Now he’s coming off two back-to-back losses, got knocked out in his last fight, to say yeah, I’ll fight you next year, when I could wait for the title shot?”
Usman will face Colby Covington next, but Leon Edwards may well be in line for his long-awaited title shot afterwards. Should Usman win, a Covington trilogy fight is unlikely. Perhaps 2022 will be Leon Edwards’ year after all.
Do you think the UFC should give Edwards his shot, or does he need to prove that he can compete at the highest level? Let us know in the comments.
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