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Leon Edwards confirms he won’t fight at UFC 291 in July, eyes return in October on Abu Dhabi card instead

Undisptued UFC welterweight champion, Leon Edwards claims he will not be competing at UFC 291 on July 22. at a targeted London, England event – preferring an October return at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Edwards, who headlined UFC 286 just last month, managed to successfully defend his title in a trilogy title rubber […]

Edwards, who headlined UFC 286 just last month, managed to successfully defend his title in a trilogy title rubber match win over former champion and former pound-for-pound fighter, Kamaru Usman – nabbing a close, majority decision victory.

The Birmingham native was lined up subsequently to face the current #2 ranked contender and former interim welterweight champion, Colby Covington for his second attempted title defense, with UFC leader, Dana White confirming how the latter would be next to challenge for gold in the division.

However, Edwards would question how the Clovis native, who has been sidelined since March of last year deserved a title showdown against him.

As a result, Covington, who most recently landed a unanimous decision win over the recently retired, Jorge Masvidal, claimed he had received assurances from UFC brass and White that Edwards would be stripped if he refused to fight him.

Leon Edwards uninterested in July return at earmarked UFC 291 card

However, according to Edwards, the Team Renagade BJJ & MMA staple has no intentions of fighting at soon as July at UFC 291 – particularly against the outspoken, Covington.

“No [he will not fight at UFC London], unless it comes with some stupid money, the bag always talks,” Leon Edwards told Sky Sports. “Unless the stupid money comes I don’t see it – I’d literally have to get back in training camp next week.”

“I fought under a month ago,” Leon Edwards explained. “March to July, I don’t think [that] makes sense. In the last year or so, I’ve fought three times I think. I’d love to fight now towards the end of the year. The Abu Dhabi card [UFC 294] card would be great. That would be perfect. I get to nurse my injuries, I get time to get back into it. I feel like Abu Dhabi would be perfect.”

Winning the undisputed welterweight title back in August of last year in Salt Lake City, Utah – Edwards rallied to finish Usman with a thunderous fifth round high kick in their championship rematch.

Belal Muhammad offers to fight Kamaru Usman next: ‘He took no damage. I’m only fighting upwards’

After UFC 286, Belal Muhammad did not like what UFC president Dana White had to say. While Muhammad might have expected White to say that there was no certain opponent Edwards would be fighting next, he was shocked when the UFC president publically declared Edwards’ next opponent would indeed be Colby Covington. If that wasn’t […]

If that wasn’t worse enough, Dana White also said that the UFC was actively looking to align a matchup between Belal Muhammad and the undefeated Shavkat Rahkmonov. A fight that Belal Muhammad openly told MMA Fighting he knew nothing about.

“I was sitting there watching it (UFC 286’s post-fight press conference) like, ‘I want to see what he’s going to say, I hope somebody asks him what’s going on and who’s next,’ and I was hoping he would say, ‘We don’t make fights after the title fight.’ But then he came out and said Colby [Covington] was for sure [next],” Muhammad began, speaking to MMA Fighting. “You’re sitting there and, ‘We’re trying to make Shavkat [versus Belal].’ I was like, what? Where did this come from?

Belal Muhammad describes shock at potential Shavkat Rahkmonov matchup, talks about wanting Kamaru Usman next

Obviously, Belal Muhammad had not been informed he might be facing the undefeated monster that was Shavkat Rahkmonov. He describes calling his manager, definitely confused on what was going on.

“I’m calling my manager,” Muhammad described. “Like, what’s going on? He’s like, ‘Brother, I don’t know what’s going on.’”

After the events of that night transpired, Muhammad told MMA Fighting that he had since met with UFC president Dana White and talked things over. While he doesn’t describe himself as a man that shies away from any challenge, he does admit hearing about the Rahkmonov matchup live at the press conference definitely confused him.

“I’m never a guy that shies away from the tough fights,” Muhammad continued. “I’ve been calling for the toughest fights forever, and he’s obviously on a good run, a streak, but I just beat the hot prospect [in Sean Brady]. I just beat the guy that was 15-0. He’s a dangerous fighter, but to me, it’s still fighting backward. It’s fighting downwards. It’s fighting another guy that [if] you beat him, ‘Well, he wasn’t as good as we thought he was. Who’s that?’”

“After beating Sean Brady, [I heard], ‘Oh, Sean Brady sucks, he’s nobody, you think you’re going to get a title shot off of that?’” Muhammad sighed. “I’m sitting there thinking if Sean Brady would have won, Sean Brady would have got the title fight. Sean Brady would have been next in line because he would have been 16-0, and they’re like, ‘This guy is amazing!’”

‘Remember the Name’ is still hopeful for a shot at the gold but also said that if things get signed between Edwards and Covington, he’s only really looking to face Usman.

“For me, now, I’m only looking upwards,” Muhammad declared. “The only guys upwards are Colby, Leon, and Kamaru. Kamaru didn’t take no damage in this fight and he’s still fighting, he’s still talking about fighting — I think that’s a fight that makes sense. I’ve had to the two title challengers in my résumé, I beat Demian Maia, I beat ‘Wonderboy’ [Stephen Thompson]. I had the hot contender in [Vicente] Luque — I beat Luque. I had the hot prospect in Sean Brady. The only thing I don’t have on my résumé is that name everybody recognizes, everybody knows, and that was a former champion. A guy that people consider one of the best welterweights to do it.”

“If that’s the name that is going to get me a [title] shot — if it’s going to be somebody, it’s going to be either Usman, Colby, or Leon. It’s only fighting upwards from here. I think that’s the only way I’m going to be guaranteed anything.”

Belal Muhammad describes his next move in further detail

If the Usman fight is unattainable, Muhammad believes a fight with Colby Covington is one of the only things that makes any sense. In his opinion, he’s right there in the mix for either a #1 contender fight or even a title shot.

“I’m hoping Leon sticks to his guns, and he does turn him down, and he says, ‘I’m not going to fight Colby,’” Muhammad said. “If that’s the case, me [versus] Colby. You see all this trash talk, Colby’s acting like he’s the best in the world, you supposedly just had a camp to weigh in — cool, let’s fight in Miami. Let’s fight the week after. Let’s fight in June. I’m down to fight whenever. I’ll fight Colby next.”

“Let’s get right back in the cage right now,” Belal Muhammad continued. “Let’s do it. Then you could silence all the doubters that [say] you didn’t earn it, you didn’t deserve it, why are you getting it? Let’s fight. Leon just fought.”

Sadly, since this interview, it seems the fight between Leon Edwards and Colby Covington is as good as done, signed, and sealed. So, Belal Muhammad must be indeed angling for the fight with Kamaru Usman.

How do you think a fight between Kamaru Usman and Belal Muhammad works out?

Justin Gaethje says he would likely quit the UFC if Conor McGregor receives title shot next: ‘I would be devastated’

Former interim UFC lightweight champion and current #2 ranked contender, Justin Gaethje has claimed that if former duel-weight champion, Conor McGregor receives a shot at Octagon gold with a win over expected next-opponent, Michael Chandler later this year, he would likely leave the Dana White-led organization. Gaethje, a former interim gold holder under the promotion’s […]

Gaethje, a former interim gold holder under the promotion’s banner, most recently co-headlined UFC 286 earlier this month in London, England – halting the run of Rafael Fiziev in a close, back-and-forth majority decision success.

The victory returned Arizona back to the winner’s enclosure, after he had unsuccessfully challenged for undisputed lightweight gold against former champion, Charles Oliveira on home soil in the ‘Copper State’ last May.

As for McGregor, the Dubliner, who is without a lightweight victory since a 2016 coronation against common-foe, Eddie Alvarez, has been out of action since headlining UFC 264 back in July 2021, fracturing his left tibia and fibula in a first round doctor’s stoppage TKO loss against another common-opponent, Dustin Poirier.

Justin Gaethje would likely depart the UFC if Conor McGregor is granted title tilt

Himself targeting an end-of-summer Octagon comeback – potentially in a rematch with fellow former interim titleholder, Poirier, Gaethje claimed he would “probably” leave the organization if McGregor is granted a title tilt with a win over Missouri veteran, Chandler.

“Would I quit if Conor (McGregor won and they [the UFC] gave him a title shot? Probably,” Justin Gaethje told ESPN during a recent interview. “That’s how hurt I would be by the actions of the company I represent. But that’s out of my control.”

“I just really hope that doesn’t happen,” Justin Gaethje explained. “We can imagine a lot of things, but there’s a possibility that that’s the scenario [that happens]. Which I would be devastated [about], for sure.”

Without a professional victory since January of 2020, McGregor defeated another common-opponent, Donald Cerrone with a 40-second TKO at the welterweight limit.

Gaethje also recently felt the wrath of Crumlin striker, McGregor earlier this week, the 34-year-old labelling the former interim champion a “handicap” in a now-deleted Twitter post.

Ray Longo defends Jon Anik, blasts Colby Covington: ‘Leave the f*cking kids out of it, you’re a complete idiot’

Veteran mixed martial arts head coach, Ray Longo has jumped to the defense of his fellow podcast host, UFC play-by-play lead, Jon Anik – blasting UFC welterweight contender, Colby Covington after the latter fired barbs at Anik during a scathing rant following UFC 286 earlier this month, Receiving major flak for his comments, Covington, a […]

Receiving major flak for his comments, Covington, a former interim welterweight champion, claimed he would not like to see Anik’s children grow up without their father, before threatening the UFC commentator, leading to an outpouring of support from fighters under the UFC’s banner and the wider mixed martial arts community.

Ray Longo hits out at Colby Covington in defense of Jon Anik

Notably, Anik’s podcast co-host, the above-mentioned, Longo explained how he no longer cared if Covington was just utilizing an act to drum up interest from fans, calling for the Clovis native – whom he labelled a “complete idiot” to leave kids out of promotional material.

“If I hear one more person say, ‘It’s just an act,’ – stop with it,” Ray Longo said during an appearance on Anik & Longo. “You do have young kids, right? An 11-year-old and a 12-year-old, they don’t have the defense mechanisms to determine if it’s an act or not. So, you can have your f*cking act, but leave the f*cking kids out of it, you’re a complete idiot.”

“… If he had kids – to be even remotely, remotely affected by that, Jon (Anik) – I don’t care if it’s an act or not,” Ray Longo explained, “Get your act together and change it then.”

Himself addressing the threat levelled toward him from Covington, Anik admitted that he was surprised to have been dragged into the former’s rivalry with Belal Muhammad, and explained how he will likely have to address the threat made with his young children in the coming days.

“It’s sort of weird for me to be trust into the middle of all the promotion, right,” Jon Anik said. “And there’s two sides of it, I certainly don’t really feel like there’s any sort of legitimate threat there. But, yes, my 11-year-old daughter, obviously is going to come across that soundbite either on Snapchat or somewhere, and I’m going to have to have that conversation. I think even Colby (Covington) would admit to me privately that he crossed the line.”

Ian Garry confident of UFC title win: ‘Leon Edwards knows I could win a fight against him’

Up and coming UFC welterweight prospect Ian Garry is confident in his chances of winning a fight against welterweight champion Leon Edwards. Not only is the Irishman confident he could beat Edwards in a pure striking battle, but he also stated that the champion would agree with his statement: “If you ask Leon, ‘Leon, if […]

Up and coming UFC welterweight prospect Ian Garry is confident in his chances of winning a fight against welterweight champion Leon Edwards.

Not only is the Irishman confident he could beat Edwards in a pure striking battle, but he also stated that the champion would agree with his statement:

“If you ask Leon, ‘Leon, if you were fighting Ian on the feet, could Ian win?’ He’d say ‘Yes, he could.’ Leon would sit there and say, ‘Maybe I’m a bit cleaner.’ Maybe he might argue his case, but that’s not the question.

“It’s ‘Could Ian win?’ I guarantee you he’d say yes. You ask Shavkat (Rakhmonov) the same thing, I guarantee you he’d say yes. This is the thing, it’s like the world doesn’t know what my grappling is like. Everyone assumes I’m a striker, everybody assumes that I’m just all (fighting) on the feet, you take me down you can suffocate me. Then fucking do it then. Do it. Let’s see.”

Leon Edwards just defeated Kamaru Usman in their trilogy bout to make the first defense of his UFC welterweight championship, and another of his teammates, Shavkat Rakhmonov, has blown through everyone he’s ever fought.

Edwards is 21-3 as a professional and he hasn’t lost since 2015, going unbeaten through his last 12 appearances.

Then we have Rakhmonov, who’s 17-0 as a professional (5-0 UFC) with 17 finishes (8 knockout, 9 submission). Both he and Edwards are true technicians everywhere the fight goes.

For a 25 year old to have success against them in the training room, that just speaks to the wicked potential he has in this sport.

Ian Garry has made it to 11-0 (4-0 UFC) thus far into his career as a professional, securing seven finishes in that time following a one-year run as an amateur that saw him go 6-1. And, in his fight prior to joining the UFC, Ian Garry won the Cage Warriors welterweight championship via unanimous decision.

Ian Garry has been five rounds before, he overcame adversity in his last fight when he was rocked badly, but didn’t lose an ounce of his composure and continued fighting brilliantly up until he TKO’d his opponent late in round three, and he’s an incredibly technical striker.

With a supposed five-plus years until he’s at his athletic peak, Ian Garry certainly has a very bright future in this sport.

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Colby Covington issues warning to UFC champion Leon Edwards again: ‘Don’t cross the boss’

After initially warning undisputed UFC welterweight champion, Leon Edwards that he will be stripped of his crown if he rejects a fight with him next – Colby Covington has now warned the Birmingham native to avoid crossing president, Dana White. Covington, a former interim welterweight champion and current #2 ranked division contender, has been sidelined […]

Covington, a former interim welterweight champion and current #2 ranked division contender, has been sidelined since UFC 272 back in March of last year, defeating arch-rival, Jorge Masvidal in a unanimous decision triumph.

Attending UFC 286 last weekend in London, England, Clovis native, Covington served as an official backup to the main event fight between Edwards and Kamaru Usman – successfully making welterweight championship weight.

Following his successul, majority decision title defense against common-foe, Usman, Edwards was pencilled in by the aforenoted, White to face Covington next.

Calling for a showdown with Edwards at UFC 290 during International Fight Week in July, Colby Covington saw his call out rebuffed by the former, who questioned how he deserved a title fight.

Colby Covington issues another warning to Leon Edwards

Warning the Team Renegade BJJ & MMA staple that he would lose his welterweight crown if he elected against fighting him next, Covington has now urged Edwards against upsetting promotional leader, White.

Covington, who holds victories over former welterweight champions, Robbie Lawler, and Tyron Woodley – scooped interim division spoils with a decision win over former lightweight kingpin, Rafael dos Anjos.

In a pair of title fights with the above-mentioned Auchi native, Usman, Colby Covington first suffered a fifth round TKO loss, and then a one-sided unanimous decision rematch defeat.

Sharing his thoughts on Edwards potentially rejecting a fight with the former American Top Team staple, White explained how the Birmingham native will have to get used to leading from the front of a chasing pack of challengers.

Defendjng Covington’s much-criticized shot a gold, White also claimed Edwards has sat out of competition for two years before receiving his very own title shot.