Leon Edwards Releases a Statement After Khamzat Chimaev Withdraws From Fight

UFC welterweight contender Leon Edwards took to Twitter and expressed his willingness to stay on as the headliner for January 20, 2021. ‘Rocky’ has had a trouble-filled 2020, and it seems like his fortune is not set to change anytime soon. Edwards was matched up with consensus ‘Breakout Fighter of the Year’ Khamzat Chimaev to headline Fight Island 8, but the fight has now fallen through.

Chiefly, this is the second time the bout is being scheduled after the original date of December 19, 2020 fell apart. Leon Edwards came down with a brutal case of COVID-19 that ensured he wouldn’t be able to compete. With over a year of inactivity under his belt, ‘Rocky’ Edwards seemingly can’t wait to scrap, regardless of the opponent.

The Brit last fought all the way back in July 2019 and has easily been the most unlucky fighter on the UFC roster through 2020. Moreover, it’s not clear why Chimaev pulled out of the fight; however, Edwards’ tweet seems to point to a health scare. ‘Borz’ has proven himself to be an ‘anytime-anywhere’ fighter, and he’ll be itching to return to action.

What’s next for Leon ‘Rocky’ Edwards?

The well-established welterweight is on an 8 fight win streak and has accrued wins over top-ranked divisional fighters. His last loss came to the current 170-pound champion Kamaru Usman, and fans are excited to see them run it back. Under normal circumstances, a fighter on an 8-fight streak would have certainly fought for gold.

Edwards has a few options before him since it’s clear he wished to stay on the fight card. Chiefly, Michael Chiesa and Neil Magny are set to scrap on the same card and were placed as contingency replacements. In fact, Magny was keen on inserting himself into the mix when the first bout between Edwards and Chimaev fell out.

The aforementioned fight between Leon Edwards and Khamzat Chimaev has been one that fans have been pining for. With the recent cancelation, it seems as though the UFC will move past this booking as Edwards needs to get back to action. A marquee main event win could help push ‘Rocky’ straight towards a rematch against Kamaru Usman.