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“I know the Colby (Covington) fight’s not happening – that’s what I’m hearing – so I’m ready to go in December.”
With the proposed UFC welterweight title fight between Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington in jeopardy, there’s a chance top-five ranked contender Leon Edwards will get the next title shot instead.
In fact Edwards, who is riding an impressive eight-fight win streak with victories over the likes of Donald Cerrone and Rafael dos Anjos, is expecting to challenge ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ for the official welterweight title in December.
“They said if the Colby (Covington) fight can’t get done, then I’m the next in line, so I believe I will be next in December,” Edwards said on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show on Monday (via MMA Junkie). “… They’re at a stalemate. I think Colby (Covington) is asking for too much money or whatever it is, but I put my name in the hat, and I told them I am ready to go. I deserve the shot, I’m on the second most win streak in the whole division, so I believe I deserve the shot.”
“It feels like the whole division is on standby,” Edwards continued. “I am ready to go. I’m fit. I’m healthy. I am pushing for the Usman fight; I feel like I deserve that fight, so that’s where I’m at. I know the Colby (Covington) fight’s not happening – that’s what I’m hearing – so I’m ready to go in December.”
Usman vs. Covington was expected to headline the upcoming UFC 244 pay-per-view on November 2 but ‘Chaos’ reportedly rejected the UFC’s offer due to ‘slave labor negotiations’.
The UFC’s main PPV event in December — UFC 245 — will feature a headlining featherweight title bout between Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski and, as of now, a co-headlining women’s bantamweight championship bout between Amanda Nunes and Germaine de Randamie. With two title fights already booked, it’s unlikely that MMA’s premiere promotion will add a third championship billing to the equation, so don’t expect to see ‘Rocky’ challenge for the belt in December.