UFC welterweight Leon Edwards claims Jorge Masvidal turned down a fight offer, as he now eyes a big-named opponent, next.
After their much-publicized backstage scuffle at UFC London in March, it looked like the UFC was about to match-up Leon Edwards and Jorge Masvidal. But instead, “Gamebred” was paired against Ben Askren, as the two face off at UFC 239 in July.
According to Edwards, however, Masvidal was given a fight offer, only to be later declined.
“That was the fight to make. I think the UFC offered Masvidal the fight and he turned it down,” Edwards said Monday on the Ariel Helwani MMA Show (transcript by MMA Mania). “It is what it is. I will see him again and his day will come.”
“Clearly the man don’t want this smoke. So it is what it is,” he added. “I was ready to go straight away in June. They offered him the fight and he turned it down. Now here we are. I am looking for another top five and go from there.”
Now in search of a new next opponent, Edwards is only looking towards fighting someone with a big name and potentially earn himself a title shot.
“I was willing to go for the RDA fight until that fight fell through,” he said. “So I thought ‘why not step up and take on the former champion Robbie Lawler?’ I’m on a seven-fight win streak, so it would be good for him to redeem himself.
“So I thought, ‘Why not?’ Give me six weeks and I will go out there, beat him and then a title shot.”
Edwards fought on the same card as Masvidal at UFC London, where he defeated Gunnar Nelson via split decision.