A win in the main event of UFC 304 will earn Leon Edwards the third ruby on his welterweight title.
Since stunning the MMA world with his head kick knockout of Kamaru Usman, the Brit has defended his title on two occasions heading into this rematch with Belal Muhammad on July 27 in Manchester.
Edwards has made it clear that he has big goals in mind for his title reign at 170-pounds where he hopes to break the great Georges St-Pierre’s records.
Though he has no plans to permanently leave welterweight at any point soon, “Rocky” also hopes to challenge himself at middleweight at some stage.
With several top names sitting at the top of the division, it could be a very different landscape at 185-pounds by the time Edwards makes his move.
Dave Lovell Picks Out Sean Strickland & Dricus Du Plessis As Potential Middleweight Fights For Leon Edwards
In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Edwards’ head coach Dave Lovell was asked to give his opinion on who the middleweight champion will be when his fighter attempts to become a two-weight world champion.
Israel Adesanya is set to challenge for the title that he has held twice before when he faces Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305 next month but Lovell doesn’t believe that “The Last Stylebender” will be around for much longer.
Edwards’ friendship with Adesanya makes a fight between them incredibly unlikely anyway but the Team Renegade captain doesn’t see this coming to pass.
He believes that either the current holder or the man he won the title from, could be Edwards’ middleweight opponent.
“I don’t think Israel [Adesanya] because in all fairness, I love him and Israel is my brother but I think he’s coming to the twilight of his career now. and if I was him, if he fights Dricus, maybe win the title, defend it once or even just win that title and retire because he’s earned enough, he’s got nothing more to prove. I wouldn’t like to see Leon fight Israel because we’re all close that way, we’re all friends so I wouldn’t like to see that.
“Dricus maybe if Dricus is still hanging around. I think the easiest, well I take that back, one of the fights that I think would be a good fight for Leon to showcase his skills against a man, Mr Strickland, who’s a kind of come forward kind of style fighter which would suit Leon.
Continue Reading Coach: Israel Adesanya Won’t Be Champion When Leon Edwards Moves Up In Weight at MMA News.