MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani recently revealed that the UFC is targeting a welterweight title fight between Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards. The fight would be a rematch over 6 years in the making and could serve as the ultimate test for both men. Chiefly, the bout is slated to take place either in March or April of next year.
Fight fans have been calling for this match-up for a long-time and it seems like ‘Rocky’ Edwards is on his way to get a shot. When they first fought, the bout was streamed solely on UFC Fight Pass and was put on the early prelims of a UFC on Fox card. Since then, both men have obviously seen massive maturation in their careers and are now pay-per-view headliners.
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Kamaru Usman vs Leon Edwards 2: How will things play out?
What was once a classic case of striker vs grappler, has evolved into an elite clash between well-rounded MMA fighters. Per Leon Edwards, Kamaru Usman has fallen in love with his hands, and it’s very possible this could be true. Ever since he became the first man to knock out Jorge Masvidal, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ is much more than a feared wrestler.
Kamaru Usman scored a stunning second-round knockout to finish Jorge Masvidal and retain the undisputed UFC welterweight title at UFC 261 in Florida.
Usman's win improved his record to 19-1 and extended his unbeaten run to 18 fights, including 14 straight victories in the UFC. pic.twitter.com/A4IgVlWEav
— MAX 102.3 FM (@Max1023FM) April 25, 2021
As for ‘Rocky’ Edwards, he showed in his last fight against Nate Diaz that his striking accuracy and timing are as good as ever. Not to mention, he’s extremely resilient when it comes to finding his opening and landing the perfect punch/kick. However, he’ll have to be wary throughout the five-round contest and will want to avoid getting caught late as he did against Diaz.
Are you not entertained? 😤
What an INSANE finish to the Leon Edwards vs. Nate Diaz fight! 🤯#UFC263pic.twitter.com/u1RDsyDjwi
— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) June 13, 2021
This match-up will certainly serve as a litmus test for where Kamaru Usman currently is as the champion. There are talks of him having surpassed Georges St-Pierre following his most recent win over Colby Covington at UFC 268. However, many pundits believe he still has some way to go and that a win over Edwards will strengthen his case.
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UFC fans will await the official confirmation of this news with bated breath in the weeks to come.
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