Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Stephen Thompson doesn’t think Jorge Masvidal should get the next crack at the UFC welterweight title.
British phenom Leon Edwards might be on an eight-fight win streak, with impressive wins over the likes of Donald Cerrone and Rafael dos Anjos, but fans want to see either Colby Covington or Jorge Masvidal challenge Kamaru Usman for the welterweight title.
Covington impressed this past Saturday by dominating Robbie Lawler enroute to a unanimous decision in the UFC on ESPN 5 main event, while American Top Team (ATT) teammate Jorge Masvidal shocked the world with his sensational five-second knockout of Ben Askren at UFC 239.
While Covington is most likely to get the next title shot, former UFC welterweight title challenger Stephen Thompson believes Edwards is possibly the most deserving contender in the division.
“Leon Edwards is on an 8 fight winning streak, wow,” Edwards said at a recent media scrum (h/t Natasha Hooper of BJPenn.com). “So he could possibly be fighting for the title. I know everyone’s talking Masvidal, but he’s had two wins and his third loss was me at MSG. I think there are other people more deserving of the title, but he’s put on some good shows and knocked out some good people so you never know.
“He’s doing very well in the division (Edwards), so I think at the top, maybe him. I think under him, maybe Masvidal. He’s got some great knockout, .but it really depends what the UFC and fans want. And the UFC is going towards what the fans want nowadays, so it could be Masvidal but I think Leon Edwards has definitely proven he deserves a shot at the title.”
As for Thompson and his own road back to title contention, ‘Wonderboy’ is eyeing a fight with former lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos at the upcoming UFC 244 pay-per-view in Madison Square Garden, New York.
“Everything’s feeling good, back to training hard full force and hopefully [I’ll] be fighting again at Madison Square Garden, November,” he said. “Don’t know who yet, but we will see.”
“I know me and RDA (Dos Anjos) are both coming off a loss, so might be a good time for him to heal up and make it happen for MSG. So someone in the top five. I’m getting ready to go out there and do it again.”
Thompson, 36, last fought at UFC Fight Night 148, where he suffered a brutal knockout loss to former WEC and UFC lightweight titleholder Anthony Pettis. As of writing, Thompson is ranked No. 7 in the official UFC welterweight rankings.