Leon Edwards needs to turn out to be the UFC’s newest two-division champion, concentrating on a transfer to middleweight after getting via Colby Covington in December.
At UFC 296, Edwards defends his title for the second time after besting Kamaru Usman in back-to-back fights. However the welterweight champ doesn’t have a lot curiosity in staying at 170 kilos.
As an alternative, the 32-year-old British fighter likes the concept of tackling one other division, and the Sean Strickland vs. Dricus du Plessis middleweight title combat at UFC 297 is an interesting possibility.
“one hundred pc, positively,” Edwards informed Sky Sports when requested about transferring as much as middleweight. “I really feel particularly with somebody like [Sean] Strickland, and I feel he’s combating [Dricus] Du Plessis quickly, so both of them two can be nice to combat.
“I’m huge myself. I really feel like that will be good. I really feel like me going out and being double-champ, first ever from the UK to do it. That’s positively considered one of my objectives. That’s on the playing cards for certain.”
Strickland defends his middleweight title on Jan. 20 in Toronto. He has loads of challengers ready within the wings. Undefeated Chechen wrecking machine Khamzat Chimaev is prepared after incomes a title shot in October, whereas Belal Muhammad was promised an opportunity to combat for the welterweight title after defeating Gilbert Burns in Could.
Muhammad’s latest win prolonged his present unbeaten streak to 10 fights. Add to that, he fought Edwards to a no-contest again in 2021 after an eye fixed poke ended their predominant occasion showdown.
Regardless of these potential hurdles, Edwards believes his pursuit to turn out to be a two-division UFC champion might occur sooner relatively than later, particularly with a monumental card anticipated to happen in early 2024.
“Subsequent can be good, to be sincere,” Edwards mentioned. “The division proper now, there’s nobody that’s thrilling within the division so for me to go on the market to try this, that will be good. UFC 300, I like that. To place me on that card can be large. Let’s see.”
First issues first, Edwards has to beat Covington on Dec. 16. Then he can begin plotting a future that would embrace a shot on the UFC middleweight champion.
