Masvidal “Demands” Fight From UFC, Slams “F*cking Moron” Leon Edwards

Jorge Masvidal’s attempts to find an opponent have come to naught—and he’s not happy. The UFC’s official Baddest Motherf*cker hasn’t graced the Octagon since his second unsuccessful title fight against Kamaru Usman in April. That sensational KO loss—the first of his career—has seen “Gamebred” slip out of the top five welterweight rankings and perhaps taken […]

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Jorge Masvidal’s attempts to find an opponent have come to naught—and he’s not happy.

The UFC’s official Baddest Motherf*cker hasn’t graced the Octagon since his second unsuccessful title fight against Kamaru Usman in April. That sensational KO loss—the first of his career—has seen “Gamebred” slip out of the top five welterweight rankings and perhaps taken some of the shine from his star power.

Jorge Masvidal Usman
PHOTO: MMA FIGHTING

Jorge Masvidal Blasts UFC For Failing To Find Opponent

The 36-year-old is itching to get back to action and make another tilt at the title. But a fired-up Masvidal told MMA Uncensored that despite working the phones to sort out an opponent with UFC matchmaker Hunter Campbell, he’s still waiting.

“I’ve been freaking going in and out of Hunter [Campbell’s] office and calling him and they still haven’t given me a date or opponent,” Masvidal said (h/t MMA FIGHTING). “I wanted to fight this year. I don’t know what the f*ck’s going to happen.”

So fired-up is Masvidal that he’s threatening to launch some sort of one-man coup d’état against the UFC, and demanding that MMA media join his crusade.

“I already told them give me a f*cking deadline before I go full blast takeover,” Masvidal said. “Like one of those bad governments when they get flipped and stuff. I need a fight, Hunter!”

“Make sure the clickbaiters put ‘Masvidal demands fight soon’ and then under put Hunter [Campbell]. They’ll know what I mean.”

Masvidal Says He’s Moved On From Leon Edwards

In recent weeks, it seemed the stars were aligning for Masvidal and long-time agitator Leon Edwards to finally face off in the Octagon. The matchup is one of the most hotly-anticipated in MMA and would provide finality to a beef that stretches back to 2019 when Masvidal served up his infamous “three-piece and a soda” to the Englishman’s face.

Masvidal Edwards
The infamous “three piece and a soda” incident” that transpired backstage at UFC London in 2019. (PHOTO: ESSENTIALLY SPORTS).

Edwards stated late last month that he was down to fight Masvidal before the year’s end, but fight negotiations have since fallen through, with both parties predictably blaming the other. Masvidal now says he’s fed up with the Englishman’s dithering and has resolved to put the whole situation in the rearview. 

“That guy is such a talking f*cking machine,” Masvidal said about Edwards. “Cause the contract’s in front of his face, he’s said no like two or three times already. We’re already moving on. We’re not gonna say names or nothing. I do a lot of this when it comes to contracts. It’s either yes or no when a contract gets put in front of me.”

Jorge firmly believes Edwards is beneath his lofty station, and that it would be better to concern himself with more lucrative foes.

“Who is the highest-ranked guy with the most money I can make, that’s who I’m going with,” continued Masvidal. “Leon was talking about how I turned down the fight. No, you f*cking moron of a person. I fought for the belt twice. Why would I fight you? Who the f*ck are you again? Now I got some spare time, I’ll beat this guy’s f*cking teeth in but he’s nowhere to be found. So we might have to move on cause he’s a coward.”

Edwards has since clapped back on social media, responding to earlier media reports of Masvidal’s comments.

Who do you think Jorge Masvidal should fight next?

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Leon Edwards Doesn’t See The Point In Fighting Gilbert Burns

While speaking on The MMA Hour, Leon Edwards shut down the idea of fighting fellow welterweight contender Gilbert Burns.  Recently, Edwards has been back and forth on who is next for him. But when the topic of Gilbert Burns came up, Edwards was quick to close the door on a potential matchup.  “Gilbert does nothing […]

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While speaking on The MMA Hour, Leon Edwards shut down the idea of fighting fellow welterweight contender Gilbert Burns. 

Recently, Edwards has been back and forth on who is next for him. But when the topic of Gilbert Burns came up, Edwards was quick to close the door on a potential matchup. 

“Gilbert does nothing for my career or nothing for me at this point,” Edwards scoffed. “Like I said, he just got knocked out, cried like a baby in the Octagon, and then went and humped Wonderboy for three rounds. So nah.”

Leon Edwards Belal Muhammad
Leon Edwards faces off against Belal Muhammed ahead of their main event fight. (via MMAJunkie)

The Englishman has been a top contender for years now, but the universe continues to conspire against him. Edwards was on a tear until COVID-19 protocols canceled the U.K. event that “Rocky” was set to headline in 2020. Stuck in a COVID-induced limbo, Edwards was then booked to face Khamzat Chimaev on three different occasions. None of those bouts would come to fruition due to the pandemic.

After the layoff, Edwards made his way back only to have an accidental eye-poke leave his short-notice opponent, Belal Muhammed, unable to continue. At UFC 263, Edwards beat up Nate Diaz for the better part of five rounds, even if some fans only recall the final minute

Burns’ wrestling-heavy victory over Stephen Thompson at UFC 264 may have caught some flack, but it proves that Burns is still a problem for the top five. 

While it makes sense for Burns to call out other top contenders en route to another title fight, Ariel Helwani actually admonished Burns for the move in a recent segment on his show. 

Should Leon Edwards take a fight against another contender or wait for a title shot?

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Michael Page: Leon Edwards Will Never Get A Title Shot

Michael Page believes his fellow countrymen, Leon Edwards won’t ever fight for UFC gold. Edwards is currently the third-ranked welterweight contender and coming off a dominant win over Nate Diaz at UFC 263. However, for Page, he believes Edwards won’t get a title shot because of his personality and the fact he doesn’t draw eyes. […]

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Michael Page believes his fellow countrymen, Leon Edwards won’t ever fight for UFC gold.

Edwards is currently the third-ranked welterweight contender and coming off a dominant win over Nate Diaz at UFC 263. However, for Page, he believes Edwards won’t get a title shot because of his personality and the fact he doesn’t draw eyes. Page gave the example that most people know Edwards for is getting sucker-punched by Masvidal and nearly getting knocked out by Diaz in the final minute.

“He has killed some great fighters, but he will never get a title shot,” Page told Metro. “His biggest moment in MMA was getting sucker-punched by another MMA fighter. That’s disgusting. That does show he is not branding himself correctly, maybe it’s not in his personality but I think he just cares more about the fight, which I get and he is great at it but he needs to understand it is a partnership that needs to be at hand here and he needs to be a bit more aware of that.”

Kamaru Usman, the current welterweight champion, will defend his belt at UFC 268 in a rematch against Colby Covington. After that, it’s uncertain what would be next for Usman, but Page doubts it would be Edwards. However, he does hope the Brit does fight for UFC gold but he knows “Rocky” needs to market himself better.

“It’s disappointing because I want him to do well and I know he’s a sick fighter, I have sparred him before, worked with him before but I don’t see him blowing up in the same way because if you are not drawing in those people then promoters are not going to care for you. That affects your career. If you are not drawing in those people, those promoters are not going to care enough to promote you,” Page said. “They might pick this guy who has only had two fights in the UFC but is making a lot of noise and think: ‘We will give him the title fight instead’. It is wrong, but as a promoter, I get why they would make that decision over what is technically right.”

Michael Page is set to return on Friday in London in the main event of Bellator 267 as he rematches Douglas Lima. Leon Edwards, meanwhile, does not have his next fight booked and hasn’t fought since June where he beat Nate Diaz by decision.

Do you agree with Michael Page that Leon Edwards will never get a title shot?

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Helwani Says Burns Challenging Edwards Shows Lack Of Fighter Unity

Ariel Helwani is going to bat for Leon Edwards, even if that means taking some swings at other welterweights in the process. UFC welterweight Leon Edwards going unbeaten in his last 10 fights has been well documented. Unfortunately for the Englishman, however, this impressive streak has been overshadowed by the fact that no title shot […]

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Ariel Helwani is going to bat for Leon Edwards, even if that means taking some swings at other welterweights in the process.

UFC welterweight Leon Edwards going unbeaten in his last 10 fights has been well documented. Unfortunately for the Englishman, however, this impressive streak has been overshadowed by the fact that no title shot has come from it. Edwards has experienced great frustration from the entire ordeal, but he is not without his advocates. Perhaps the most vocal and notable of whom being renowned MMA reporter Ariel Helwani.

Last year, Edwards was slated to face Tyron Woodley in a UFC on ESPN Fight Night headliner. The belief was that with a win, Edwards would solidify himself as being next in line for a title shot. Unfortunately, due to traveling restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Edwards was unable to make it to the United States in time, so he was replaced with Gilbert Burns instead.

UFC Fight Night - Who's next for Gilbert Burns, Tyron Woodley and Mackenzie  Dern?
Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

After Burns dominated Woodley, he became the new top contender to challenge welterweight titleholder Kamaru Usman. Helwani was one of the few who went against the grain and suggested Burns fight Edwards in a title-eliminator bout instead. Eventually, Burns would receive the shot against Usman at UFC 258 earlier this year but fell to the champion via TKO.

Since the loss, Burns has been trying to work his way back to a title fight. He began this process with a victory over Stephen Thompson at UFC 264. After this most recent showing, one of the names he has called out persistently is Leon Edwards. Speaking on his program The MMA Hour, Helwani argued that Burns’s push to fight Edwards is a testament to a lack of fighter unity in the sport and then proceeded to lay down a rant about why specifically the callout irks him so.

“My thing is, alright, he got the title shot. You got your opportunity. Why are you trying to take another man’s opportunity away?” Helwani said of Burns. “Now, he’s going out and saying, ‘You should fight me. You should fight me. You should fight me.’ A year ago, he wanted nothing to do with you…

“Man, you got your title shot. You got your chance. You got your opportunity to realize your dream. Go bother someone else! Like, why are you trying to take away this man’s title shot who has done it the right way, who has put his head down, who has put his hard hat on, who has been screwed up by the politics of the game, all this stuff? leave him alone!

“Go fight Vicente Luque or someone like that. That’s the part that really grinds my gears here. There should be some kind of bond between the fighters. Yo, man, you just fought for the belt. Don’t take another man’s opportunity away. Don’t take money off his table, food off of his plate when you just fought for the belt.”

Gilbert Burns has also called out Nate Diaz for his next fight, but Diaz has expressed more interest in facing the aforementioned Vicente Luque. Meanwhile, Leon Edwards remains unbooked at the moment but stated in his appearance on The MMA Hour that he would be interested in finally facing Jorge Masvidal as long as the fight happens before the end of the year. Any time after that and “Rocky” would much rather wait for a title shot instead.

Do you agree with Ariel Helwani’s rant about Gilbert Burns calling out Leon Edwards?

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Leon Edwards Says He’s Paying The Price For Final Minute Of Diaz Fight

Leon Edwards feels UFC brass are looking for reasons to keep him from his title shot.  One would think that a competitor who hasn’t lost in his last ten outings would be a shoo-in for a shot at the champion. Yet, Leon Edwards (19-3-1) feels the promotion he fights for is attempting to deny him […]

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Leon Edwards feels UFC brass are looking for reasons to keep him from his title shot. 

One would think that a competitor who hasn’t lost in his last ten outings would be a shoo-in for a shot at the champion. Yet, Leon Edwards (19-3-1) feels the promotion he fights for is attempting to deny him his glory. 

Edwards’ last outing saw him outclass fan-favorite Nate Diaz for five rounds at UFC 263. Diaz offered little in the way of offense for his opponent but a single blow is what most people remember. Diaz, who is more known for his volume punching than his outright power, landed a left hand across the face of Edwards. The Brit was noticeably staggered and struggled to maintain his balance momentarily. 

Diaz pointed and laughed but was unable to capitalize on the blow. Edwards went on to win but the punch led to memes and internet clamor. 

Nate Diaz Leon Edwards
Jun 12, 2021; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Leon Edwards moves in for a hit as Nate Diaz defends during UFC 263 at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: IMAGN-452019 ORIG FILE ID: 20210612_gav_su5_197.jpg

When asked if he was paying the price for that final minute on The MMA Hour, Edwards was to the point. 

“For sure, 100%. As soon as I left the Octagon, I said this straight away to Tim and to my coaches, Fuck, I know they’re finding any excuse to not give me what I’ve earned. When that happened in the last minute, I was like, ‘Oh, fuck’s sakes. I know it’s gonna be a harder road now to get to my title shot. So I feel like they’re trying to use that as an excuse.”

Edwards was linked to a bout with Jorge Masvidal last week but seemed adamant about waiting for a championship fight. “Rocky” now seems open to the idea of fighting Masvidal at the end of the year. This would keep Edwards active while the world awaits Colby Covington and Kamaru Usman 2 to play out in November at UFC 268. 

Continue Reading Leon Edwards Says He’s Paying The Price For Final Minute Of Diaz Fight at MMA News.

Jorge Masvidal vs. Leon Edwards is next, per Dana White

jorge masvidal dana white leon edwardsUFC president Dana White shined some light on what could be next for welterweight contenders Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards during a recent interview with Barstool Sports’ Robbie Fox. White is in the middle of a busy International Fight Week in Las Vegas, as we are just days away from a stacked card at UFC […]

jorge masvidal dana white leon edwards

UFC president Dana White shined some light on what could be next for welterweight contenders Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards during a recent interview with Barstool Sports’ Robbie Fox.

White is in the middle of a busy International Fight Week in Las Vegas, as we are just days away from a stacked card at UFC 266. There aren’t any marquee welterweight matchups on the card after it was announced that Nick Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler will take place at middleweight.

That leaves Masvidal and Edwards in a peculiar situation. The old rivals have gone back and forth on social media for the past few years and many around the MMA community have wanted them to fight. The bad blood between Masvidal and Edwards began following their backstage altercation in London a few years back.

After Fox asked White about what could be next for both men, White hinted that the promotion is targeting a Masvidal vs. Edwards matchup at a later date.

Edwards is fresh off his unanimous decision win over Nate Diaz earlier this year at UFC 263 and remains right in the middle of the welterweight title picture. Masvidal originally targeted a return to the cage for later this year but doesn’t have a fight lined up right now after back-to-back losses to Kamaru Usman.

Edwards originally didn’t sound very interested in a fight with Masvidal and instead wanted to wait for a title shot, but he appeared to change his mind in a recent interview with Ariel Helwani. Masvidal has seemed indifferent about a fight with Edwards but it makes sense for both if they want to stay in the title shot conversation.

Usman will face Colby Covington at UFC 268 in a title rematch, and the hypothetical winner of Edwards vs. Masvidal could get the next shot at the belt. Edwards would more than likely have a better chance at getting a title shot than Masvidal who just fought in back-to-back championship bouts.

What do you think about a potential Leon Edwards vs. Jorge Masvidal matchup?