After more than 18 months out, Leon Edwards will return to the octopus.
Rocky takes on Belal Muhammad, a man who has stepped in without warning shortly after Khamzat Chimaev pulled out while recovering from COVID.
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Born in Jamaica, but fighting out of Birmingham, Edwards has all the tools to become the UFC king
The pandemic is the main reason Edwards has been missing from the cage and his next enemy is not to be taken lightly.
Muhammad is ranked 13th in the welterweight division and has a four-fight win streak. When he enters the octopus, his last fight will have been just a month ago.
Edwards, however, has won eight straight games and UFC president Dana White says if he beats Muhammad, he will surely get a title picture next.
Many fans and pundits alike have been campaigning for Edwards the respect he deserves for some time. But, what do those in the company think about starting with the big boss?
Dana White
“Edwards is a rising star. This child is tiny, leggy, and aggressive, ”he told BT Sport about his welterweight at level 3.
“His stance is remarkable. That country [England] up for a hug and waiting to be taken by someone. If Edwards can be a world champion, that man can be a big star over there. ”
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White is a fan of Edwards and believes there is no end to what he can accomplish
Stephen Thompson with welterweight at level 5
“He’s literally the man in the top five who deserves to fight for the title, and I think he couldn’t get out of London and fight, which is why they put up Gilbert Burns [to fight champion Kamaru Usman].
“But he definitely deserves the title. We are governed by the same management company, and I just feel bad that he has not fought for it yet. And he is, I think, the weakest person in the sector, he really is. ”
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Thomson has named Edwards one of the weakest boys in the welterweight division
Darren Till with moderate weight at level 4
Till and Edwards had a heated exchange at a press conference ahead of the London UFC in 2019 where Till was up against Jorge Masvidal when the scouser was still a welterweight.
Edwards: “You’re not as good as you think. ”
Return: “I know just one thing: I punch a hole in your face.”
Edwards: “You punch a hole in nothing … what are you talking about? Look at your way and look at my way, what are you talking about? ”
Return: “Your time will come and when it comes, you will have it.”
Edwards: “We’ll see who’s the biggest.”
Return: “Right now in England, I’m number one.”
Edwards: “You’re not number one.”
Till: “Well, I am. I am the main event f ******, mata. ”
Edwards: “You’re not on my level, Return.”
Return: “Mate, it took you five rounds to finish an old cow [Donald Cerrone in 2018]… I destroyed it in one go. “
Edwards: “You leave your chin out there,” he said, imitating a telegraphed punch. “You can’t even make a box. You box as an amateur. ”
Return: “I box as an amateur? Well, well, we’ll see when the time comes. ”
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Edwards has not fought for over a year but is ready to take his place as Britain’s No. 1 lad.
Tyron Woodley who was a welterweight champion
Woodley was due to fight Edwards in London last year until the event was postponed due to the pandemic that took over the world.
“How many finishes did Leon get? There is not much at this peak.
“You look where Darren Till was [when they fought in 2018], he had just stopped Donald Cerrone [in 2017] , close fight against ‘Wonderboy’ [in 2018] which I was thinking at the time, just behind me [the best].
“Darren Till was a better fighter, he was much stronger, he was more powerful, and he had more threat and power behind his punches than Leon Edwards.
“Leon Edwards is sharp, he’s ingenious, in good condition, he makes good changes in the fight, but as far as challenges, I don’t think [Edwards] it’s close to how good Darren was at the time. Till is a little different now, but at that moment, it gave him hell. ”
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Usman won welterweight gold by defeating Woodley at UFC 235 and many now believe Edwards could win the title if they were to return.
Jorge Masvidal, welterweight No.4
Masvidal had run in alongside Edwards after the London UFC match in March 2019. Some word of mouths swelled up quickly when Masvidal Edwards hit back on stage.
“It’s like talking crap on social media. I saw it here [during fight week], who does not speak to me as a man.
“I wanted to talk to him like this and it’s just like attacking me. Whatever, we can handle it after the fight. So I’m doing this interview and this hooligan comes up with a bit of stuff, ‘July, kick your ass in July – July. ‘
‘And I’ll go,’ maybe. ‘ But whatever. Because maybe I want to kick your ass in April, maybe I don’t want to wait until July.
“I may not even want to fight you in a prize ring, because training camp is not worth it. I’ll just fight you here. Because you are a scrubber.
‘So I say to him,’ Just say it to my face as a man. ‘You say he walks away. That’s not like – we’re both men, you know. And as I walk up to him, my hands are behind my back to signal that I am not coming here for trouble.
“But he put his hands up and he will walk towards me. Where am I from, if you do that, you punish me in the face and that is not going to happen.
“You af ****** ‘dork, you jayvee, beta. It’s what you are – you’re just lost in your life. You’re not going to get a beat from me. So I gave him the three pieces with the soda, and then glide out of there. “
Dan Hardy who was a welterweight opponent
“As far as capacity in this country is concerned at the moment, Leon is definitely at the head of the pack.
“He had a rough 2020 with COVID and matchups falling through, but if we think back to March when he was involved with Tyron Woodley, if he had had that fight and won, we would have seen already fighting for a title, there is no doubt about it.
“Overall in the welterweight division, I still think Leon is the most dangerous fighter Kamaru Usman can oppose. They fought to a decision before, Leon knows it well. In his mind, he has been training to beat Kamaru Usman since he lost that first fight [in 2015].
“Technically and physically, he can keep up with Usman. He’s already a five-run hero, has a good pace to his game, has a high level of hitting in the stand-up and is taking his grip up to equal that under Tom Breese in am Birmingham.
“I am just happy for Leon. The unfortunate thing for him is, if I could give him the marketing ability I had, he would have been a hero a year ago. And if I had the technical ability he has, I might have a better chance against GSP. I think Leon will hold the belt very quickly. ”
Hardy was fighting for the welterweight title and thinks if Edwards had the technical ability he might have even won
Former middleweight champion Michael Bisping
“I think Leon Edwards makes everything perfect. He has climbed winning eight fights in the UFC in the welterweight division which is very difficult to do.
“He’s a good man, he fights well, he’s motivated. Check out his last few fights: Rafael Dos Anjos, Gunnar Nelson, Donald Cerrone, there are good names for that. This man was my bet for England or Britain’s next world champion.
“I think he has a good opportunity to do that. Listen, it was on the subcards for a while so some of those winners, the public didn’t notice.
“However, people are paying attention now. He has a very good style. It’s fantastic, it’s our best chance at a British UFC champion. ”
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Edwards will be looking to make nine straight wins when he returns to the UFC eight-legged