If Leon Edwards becomes the undisputed UFC welterweight champion in August, he wants his first defense to be against Jorge Masvidal. And “Gamebred” wouldn’t say no.
Edwards is set to fight current 170-pound king Kamaru Usman during UFC 278 in Salt Lake City, Utah, on August 20. And while speaking with Ariel Helwani on “The MMA Hour” last week, Edwards said he’d “love” to fight Masvidal considering they were supposed to clash in December before Gamebred pulled out with an injury.
“I thought, you know p****,” Edwards said via Low Kick MMA. “I had a feeling he’d have done it, you know. I don’t think he wants to fight, and I’ve always said that he doesn’t want to fight me. Lastly, I would’ve loved for that fight to have happened.”
Further, Edwards would relish the opportunity to get his hands on Masvidal after the American struck him multiple times in a post-fight incident in 2019 at the O2 Arena in London, England.
First, “Rocky” needs to get past the man who beat him in 2015. And if the Englishman does, he wants his first title defense to be against Masvidal in London.
“I’ll give him the title shot, that’d be a fantastic fight in the UK,” Edwards continued. “Bring it back to the O2 where it happened, for the title. That’s the one to do next, that’s the best.”
Masvidal Would ‘Give It All I Got to Break His Face’ & Win 170-Pound Title
While on the eighth episode of Blockasset’s “Blockparty” podcast, Masvidal gave his take on Edwards’ challenge. Masvidal hasn’t competed since his unanimous decision loss to Colby Covington in March at UFC 272.
And although that loss was preceded by back-to-back defeats to Usman for the world title, Masvidal would accept the title fight against Rocky.
“That’s another intangible thing. Am I gonna say no to fighting for the title? Like, hell no,” Masvidal said via MMA News. “I’ll get my ass in shape and get ready for this f*ckin’ hooligan, and give it all I’ve got to break his face… It’s a lot of tangibles, a lot of things that could happen. I could be getting myself ready for number 10 of the world and all of a sudden fighting for a world championship.
“Remember, I’m Jorge Masvidal. I’m the same guy who took that world championship fight on six days’ notice in the middle of the corona pandemic, flew all the way across the world to throw down in that fight,” added Masvidal. “I’m gonna go with the best option all the time.”
Edwards Has a ‘Dream Scenario’ of Headlining at the O2 Arena in London
During his interview with Helwani, Edwards stated that it’d be his “dream scenario” to return to the O2 Arena in London as a defending champion. And
“If that happens in the UK, sure,” Edwards said about fighting Masvidal. “Like I said my dream scenario would be to bring it back to London and to headline London. So I want to come back home and then do it, so yeah.”
Edwards hasn’t competed in London since his split decision victory over Gunnar Nelson in March 2019. It was the same night as his backstage altercation with Masvidal, who defeated Darren Till during the night’s headlining act.
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Jorge Masvidal Will Accept UFC Star’s Championship Fight Offer