Leon Edwards

Leon Edwards has built a very strong case for a title shot, but provided the UFC can sign the fight, it looks like Jorge Masvidal will challenge welterweight champ, Kamaru Usman next. So who does “Rocky” see winning that fight?

Read on.

Edwards makes his call for Edwards vs. Masvidal

Although Edwards has won eight straight fights since he lost to Usman in 2015, the UFC was planning to have Masvidal face Usman next. “Gamebred” has won three fights in a row, and on account of KO wins over Ben Askren and Darren Till, he’s ahead of Edwards in the ranks (#3 compared to #5).

Earlier this year, UFC President Dana White said the plan was to have Usman and Masvidal fight this summer. While talks for that fight have stalled, the consensus seems to be that the UFC’s still hoping to make that fight a reality.

Well, whether that happens, remains to be seen. But while talking to MMA Junkie recently, Edwards was asked for his take on Usman – Masvidal. Here’s what the British fighter had to say.

“I couldn’t care less who wins,” Edwards said. “Like I said, it’s two good stories between both men, so either way, both fights would sell just as much, but I don’t know who wins.

Usman probably – I think Usman is a better all-around martial artist. His striking, wrestling and he can mix it up a little more, good cardio.

Masvidal comes out, he’s a good boxer, so I’d probably edge towards Usman on the victory.”

This seems to be the prediction a lot of people have. While there’s no doubt Masvidal’s extremely dangerous – just ask Ben Askren – Usman’s pressuring and wrestling has give a lot of people serious trouble.

In addition, his striking has continued to improve significantly.

Edwards says rematch with Usman will be different

As noted, one person who had difficulties against Usman was Edwards. The welterweights fought at UFC on FOX 17, and Usman took it via unanimous decision.

But, Edwards is very confident a rematch will produce a different result.

“We’re two different – from back then like five years ago – just two different abilities and what we’ve achieved,” Edwards said. “I truly believe I’ve got everything I need to beat him.

If you watch the first fight, it was 1-1 going into the third round, I think, and he did what he did with the wrestling.

“My preparation for that fight was not how I like to prepare. I went away at AKA, and I did my camp at AKA, and now I’m back in the U.K. working with my team, and I have not lost since.

So I truly believe that the fight would be different, and I would get the victory.”

It will be interesting to see how a second fight goes. There’s a good chance, however, that if Masvidal gets booked for a title fight, the UFC will want Edwards to fight in the interim.

Edwards was booked to fight Tyron Woodley in March, but the card was cancelled, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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