Leon Edwards has ruled out a possible return to the Octagon in July.
After successfully defending his UFC welterweight title against Kamaru Usman last month, news is spreading that “Rocky” will return in July for a showdown with No. 2 candidate Colby Covington. However, Leon Edwards has already ruled out that possibility, suggesting that it’s too soon to consider another title defense after finishing a hat trick with ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ at UFC 286.
“July is 100 percent too early,” Edwards said. MMA fighting Thursday. “I fought in March, a little less than a month ago, and I’m still dealing with injuries and things I had to deal with before I thought about going back to training camp. If I fight in July, that means I’m going back to training camp next week, which isn’t possible. .
“I’m going to be looking forward to the end of the year. I’d love to do it in Abu Dhabi in October. I think that would be a great time frame for me to compete, but there really isn’t a clear No. 1 contender. Nobody’s actually really won it. There are guys who lose twice One win, there are guys [have] One win and one loss. It’s a tough time in the welterweight division. So now I have to look forward to work. I’m going to sit down and talk to the UFC and talk to my team and see what works best.”
Leon Edwards doesn’t buy Colby Covington as the next guy in line
Leon Edwards may not see anyone deserving of a welterweight title opportunity, but Dana White clearly disagrees. During the UFC 286 post-fight press event, the UFC boss revealed that Colby Covington deserved a shot at the 170-pound crown. After getting some pushback from Leon Edwards, and the rest of the MMA world, White doubled down on his comments, emphasizing that Mayhem will be next for Rocky no matter what the champ thinks.
This decision is especially baffling when you consider that Colby Covington is 2-2 in his last four bouts with two losses in title fights against Kamaru Usman, the man Leon Edwards just beat in straight matches. His only wins in the past four years have come against the recently retired Tyrone Woodley and Jorge Masvidal. Covington doesn’t even have a win over any guy currently ranked in the top 10 in the division.
“It’s weird — I don’t know why it’s being pushed so much,” Edwards said. “He’s two losses to the guy I just beat [in Kamaru Usman], then went and beat a retired gentleman in Masvidal, and has been sitting now for over a year. Gilbert refused [Burns]Khamzat refused [Chimaev]Bilal refused [Muhammad], then back to the title shot? It’s weird. It’s something I’ve never seen before.
“When I was going through the pandemic, after I fought off the cancellation, Khamzat withdrew twice, withdrew once, Masvidal withdrew, all those fights fell down — I got kicked out of the rankings for that, even though it was beyond my control and it wasn’t my fault. I got kicked out. out of order.
For a man to be fit and healthy, [sit] On the sidelines, refuse three or four fights and then say that he wants to fight for the title, it doesn’t make sense. I feel they should do it like I did. Just shut up and fight. I got my position. I worked for it. But these guys want handouts and freebies, and that’s not how it works.”
Leon Edwards has not received a fight offer from the UFC
Despite Dana White’s help that it would be Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington next, “Rocky” revealed that he never received a fight offer, and the office didn’t even contact him to settle any of the details.
He said, “No fight show.” “The UFC hasn’t even spoken to us. There are no talks of that fight happening. He just talks to talk. But as far as stripping down, this is a guy who’s sat for a year, turned down fight after fight, so he just talks to talk. I’m one of those who took Every fight always. I took Khamzat when no one wanted to fight Khamzat. I took him three times when everyone was rejecting him. So, it is what it is.
“I walked out of a fight against one of the best welterweights in the world, Kamaru Usman, just under a month ago. Not a month has gone by since I fought Usman. There is no disqualification here. I am willing to fight anyone, anytime, as long as they deserve it.” And the time frame is appropriate.”
Leon Edwards is also frustrated by the fact that many of the guys in the top 10 in the division choose to sit on the sidelines and talk their way to a UFC title opportunity instead of earning it the way it was.
He said, “Instead of sitting down to complain, fight each other.” “I don’t understand why you don’t. If you really think you’re the number one contender, you should fight these guys, to prove to everyone, “There’s no one in my way. It’s me next. For some reason, these guys want to sit back and whine and whine about the title shot without a fight.
“I had to do 10 in a row to get my title. These guys are 1 win, 1 loss, 1 win, 1 loss and claim title shots. Sure, I feel like they should fight each other. Either Colby vs. Bilal or Burns vs. Colby, But they want to do it. Whoever wins, that’s me next.”