5 potential next opponents for Leon Edwards if he doesn't get a Belal Muhammad rematch
Leon Edwards' reign as the UFC welterweight champion ended at the hands of his longtime rival Belal Muhammad. Their first fight, which headlined UFC Vegas 21 (March 2021) in Las Vegas, U.S.A., was a non-title bout that ended in an NC (No Contest) after an eye poke from Edwards incapacitated his American foe. Muhammad relentlessly lobbied for a rematch in the following years.
Their long-awaited rematch headlined UFC 304 (July 27, 2024) in the Jamaica-born Englishman Edwards' native, England. The bout saw Edwards lose his welterweight belt via unanimous decision after getting out-grappled and out-struck for the majority of the fight. Muhammad was crowned the new UFC welterweight champion and jibed that he'll give 'Rocky' a title shot in another three years.
Meanwhile, during the UFC 304 post-fight press conference, UFC CEO Dana White suggested that the promotion isn't looking to book a third Muhammad-Edwards matchup right away. Ergo, the consensus is that the fighters will face different opponents in their next respective octagon appearances.
Akin to the titular character in the iconic 'Rocky' movie franchise, Leon Edwards showcased a fighting spirit after the defeat. Taking to social media, 'Rocky' apologized to his supporters and vowed to return triumphantly.
Today, we look at a few potential opponents for Edwards if he doesn't get the Muhammad trilogy fight next.
#5 Leon Edwards vs. Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson or Michael 'Venom' Page
Presently, Leon Edwards holds the No. 1 position in the official UFC welterweight rankings. Legendary karateka and MMA striking extraordinaire Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson is at No. 9 on that list. Meanwhile, kickboxing great and fearsome MMA striker, Michael 'Venom' Page, stands at No. 14.
Edwards is a truly well-rounded fighter, who has held his own in the grappling department against elite wrestlers like Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington. Nevertheless, the Englishman usually prefers keeping the fight on the feet and dominating his opponents with his sniper-like striking.
Thompson is coming off a second-round submission defeat against Shavkat Rakhmonov in Dec. 2023. Page last fought Ian Machado Garry in June 2024, a much-hyped fight that Garry won via unanimous decision. 'Wonderboy' and 'Venom' are ranked well outside the welterweight top five.
However, they both are exciting stylistic matchups for a brilliant striker like Edwards. Besides, a win over Thompson or Page, who are revered veterans in the combat sports realm, would surely provide Edwards an impetus on his path back to welterweight gold.
#4 Leon Edwards vs. Gilbert Burns or Sean Brady
BJJ savant Gilbert Burns is ranked No. 6 in the division and is considered to be a tough matchup for anyone on a given day. 'Durinho' is on a two-fight losing streak and last suffered a third-round KO defeat against Jack Della Maddalena in March 2024.
On the other hand, wrestling wizard Sean Brady bounced back from his first professional MMA defeat, a second-round TKO loss against Belal Muhammad in Oct. 2022. Brady beat Kelvin Gastelum via third-round submission in Dec. 2023.
Burns is expected to fight the No. 8-ranked Brady in the headlining match of UFC Vegas 97 (Sept. 7, 2024).
With Leon Edwards wanting to get one more fight in before the year ends, a potential clash against the Burns-Brady winner in December would be feasible. Provided that the winner doesn't take too much damage in the September matchup, they could face Edwards to close out the year.
Burns or Brady would be an interesting stylistic challenge for 'Rocky' and would help the former champion regain his rhythm, particularly in the grappling department.
It'll also prepare Edwards to face grappling wizards like Belal Muhammad (in their trilogy showdown) or Shavkat Rakhmonov (in a fresh matchup), either of whom he might fight for UFC gold.
#3 Leon Edwards vs. Jack Della Maddalena
The UFC welterweight division is akin to a shark tank. The top five at 170 pounds includes formidable names like Edwards at No. 1, former divisional kingpin Kamaru Usman at No. 2, the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov at No. 3, former interim UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington at No. 4, and Jack Della Maddalena at No. 5.
Edwards is 2-1 in his three fights against Usman and holds a win against Covington as well. He's yet to fight Rakhmonov and Maddalena. Former welterweight kingpin Usman, Covington, and Rakhmonov all seem to be targeting newly-crowned welterweight champion Belal Muhammad.
As for Maddalena, the hard-hitting fighter could very well be matched up against Edwards next. It's yet another matchup that'd be a treat for striking fans. Alternatively, 'Rocky' could mix things up by utilizing a more grappling-centric approach to mitigate the Australian combatant's bone-chilling knockout power.
Maddalena underwent surgery on his left arm earlier this year and missed out on the UFC 305 (Aug. 17, 2024) card that's set to go down in Perth, Australia. That said, his much-awaited return could come against Edwards later this year.
#2 Leon Edwards vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov
Kazakhstan's Shavkat Rakhmonov boasts an 18-0 professional MMA record and is 6-0 in the UFC, with all six of his victories inside the octagon coming via stoppage. 'Nomad' holds the record for the longest finish streak in the history of the UFC welterweight division. The latest scalp added to his collection was none other than two-time UFC welterweight title challenger, Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson.
Rakhmonov is a grappling-heavy fighter who also possesses thunderous knockout power in his strikes. Many believe he's on the cusp of a title shot. Following UFC 304, Rakhmonov reminded Belal Muhammad to keep his promise and give him the next title shot. The champion seemed open to the idea.
Needless to say, anyone who hands this unbeaten fighter his first professional MMA defeat would gain considerable momentum. The UFC could possibly book Muhammad's next fight against someone else, perhaps against Kamaru Usman. In that case, an Edwards-Rakhmonov fight would be an ideal title eliminator showdown.
Can Leon Edwards stave off a young, hungry, seemingly unconquerable fighter like Shavkat Rakhmonov? Only time will tell. But if there's anyone who can do the impossible, it's Edwards.
#1 Leon Edwards vs. Ian Machado Garry
In his appearance on Submission Radio after UFC 304, Leon Edwards' head coach, Dave Lovell, acknowledged Dana White and the UFC seemingly not opting for the Muhammad-Edwards trilogy fight. Lovell implied that he understands why White's interested in a fresh matchup next. He further pointed out that 'Rocky' is a former champion and could earn a title shot with a couple of wins.
Moreover, the revered trainer signaled that Edwards has multiple good matchups on the horizon, including possible clashes against Jack Della Maddalena, Shavkat Rakhmanov, and Ireland's Ian Machado Garry.
Lovell alluded that Garry previously trained at the Team Renegade Gym in Birmingham before being banned from it because he didn't fit the gym's culture.
The Team Renegade coach referenced the storyline between Edwards and Garry, which is layered with their history of going from training partners to foes. He emphasized that he'd like to see his pupil fight Garry next. He foresees Edwards defeating the Irishman.
Furthermore, Lovell picked Shavkat Rakhmonov to dethrone Belal Muhammad and asserted that Leon Edwards could fight for the title in 2025 or 2026.
Watch Lovell discuss the topic below (13:15-16:48):