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Leon Edwards Hits Back at Fighters Aiming at Welterweight Gold – “ Guys Win One Fight Now and Think They Should Get a Title Shot”

Published 04/19/2023, 10:41 AM EDT

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Leon Edwards currently stands at the peak of his career as a welterweight champion. He won his championship from Kamaru Usman at UFC 278. He knocked out Usman in the fifth round, which became one of the biggest victories of his fighting career. After becoming champion, he again faced ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ for his title defense at UFC 286. This was their trilogy bout. Rocky emerged victorious against Usman once again, and he successfully retained his belt. However, following his victory at UFC 286, the top welterweight contenders wanted to fight against Rocky.

The UFC president, Dana White, wanted Edwards to fight Colby Covington for his next title defense. Edwards was against the idea, as he believed that there were many worthy opponents left in his division and that it was definitely not Covington. ‘Chaos’ has already received two title bouts against the former welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman. He ended up losing both fights. Hence, another title shot with Edwards felt like a bad idea. Nonetheless, ‘Rocky’ has finally revealed what exactly he prefers for his next bout.

Leon Edwards talks about entitlement in his division

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In a Q&A session conducted by SI, The welterweight champion talked about his preference when it comes to his next opponent. Edwards said to SI, They’re all similar, but this isn’t about them. They need to stop sitting on the sidelines complaining. I fought 10 fights before I fought for the title. Guys win one fight now and think they should get a title shot.

via Imago

He added, “It’s my time. I’ve put God first and I’ve put in the work, and I’m excited to compete as champion.By answering the question, Edwards was able to finally hit back at the welterweights who believed they were worthy of a title shot.

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‘Rocky’ not fighting Covington in July

Recently, Edwards put an end to all the rumors that he would fight Colby Covington in July in London. Edwards said that he was not ready to fight so soon because he needed time to recover from his last fight. ‘Rocky’ further added that, as a champion, he has the right to decide where and when to fight next.

READ MORE: He’s Not a Guy That’s Big in the Media “- Belal Muhammad Explains Why He Thinks Colby Covington Will Beat Him to a Title Shot

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According to ‘Rocky’, he feels that the time of the Abu Dhabi fight would be ideal for him. However, UFC president Dana White was not ready to give any confirmation regarding the next title defense of Edwards.

Do you think that the bout between Colby Covington and Leon Edwards will come to fruition in the near future? Do let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Priyanka

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Priyanka is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. Her passion for the UFC is evident in her writing, and she has been a devoted fan of the sport for many years. Priyanka is particularly fascinated by the sportsmanship displayed by fighters, and she is captivated by their ability to calculate each move when an opponent is all set to attack.
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Edited by:

Anuj Jacob