Leon Edwards Believes Kamaru Usman – Jorge Masvidal Run-in Was “Planned”, Part of The “WWE Era”

A few months ago, it didn’t seem like Jorge Masvidal and Kamaru Usman had too serious of a beef. But, more recently the welterweights have been slinging verbal jabs at each other, culminating in a highly publicized run-in this week at a Super Bowl media event. Well not everyone was sold that the incident wasn’t staged, and evidently Leon Edwards is one of those folks.

Edwards weighs-in on Usman’s latest exchange with Masvidal

For a few months now, Masvidal has been campaigning for a fight with Conor McGregor, despite the fact he’s knocking on the title shot door at 170. Prior to UFC 246, Masvidal said he would rather fight McGregor next, due to the money involved and because the timing was right.

But, as McGregor’s return approached, tensions started ratcheting up between Masvidal and Usman. The welterweight champ fired Masvidal up by pretending to not know who he is. Then, this week, the two made headlines after they had a heated exchange at a media event.

Well, since then, Edwards spoke with ESPN, and the welterweight contender had this to say about the incident:

“Was it planned? Why are the cameras following him all the way to Usman?,” Edwards said. “… It’s basically planned because they’re walking for like, a minute with a camera behind him. That’s this game we’re in right now, right? It’s the social media era and the WWE era. That’s the way the game is leading at the moment. It is what it is. I’m just focused on my career and doing what I need to do and being what I need to be to achieve what I need to achieve.

“You can tell that’s planned. The camera is walking behind him for a long way before he got to Usman so he was like, ‘Ah, we’re going to go do this.’”

Could Edwards and other doubters be onto something? And the whole thing was set-up? It’s not impossible. But, if the two truly don’t have issues with each other, it seems more likely they both know when it’s a good time to dial up the drama. After all, footage of the run-in quickly fired around the internet and there does seem to be growing interest in that match-up.

Edwards still wants Masvidal

Of course, Edwards and Masvidal made news last March when they scuffled backstage at UFC London. Ever since then, talk about the welterweights fighting at some point has made the rounds. “Rocky” is currently booked to fight Tyron Woodley at UFC London on March 21st.

But, when asked about the possibility of facing Masvidal, Edwards said this:

“When I get past Tyron Woodley, that fight will be down the line,” Edwards said. “If I don’t fight for the title next, it’ll probably be him in May probably. But that fight will happen this year I think.

“100 percent [I want that fight]. I think it needs to happen. We’ll fight on the street or in the octagon. There will be a fight when we see each other. That fight will happen and we’ll see when it comes.”

UFC London will be hosted by the O2 Arena.