"He has the opportunity to write his own storybook ending" - Dana White dismisses fan notion of Leon Edwards being "soft" due to Jorge Masvidal incident

Dana White (left), Jorge Masvidal & Leon Edwards (right) [Image courtesy of @espnmma on Twitter]

Dana White believes that Leon Edwards has the opportunity to silence his critics when he faces Kamaru Usman for the welterweight title at UFC 278 this weekend.

'Rocky' is on a 10-fight undefeated streak, with his last defeat coming against Usman back in 2015. While many fans consider 'The Nigerian Nightmare' the favorite in the rematch, it cannot be denied how much both fighters have improved since their first bout.

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Throughout the fight build-up, some have questioned how tough Edwards is, referencing back to a brawl he had with fellow welterweight Jorge Masvidal in 2019.

After 'Gamebred' knocked Darren Till out in London, he was involved in a backstage confrontation with Edwards. The Miami native landed a flurry of punches, cutting the Brit open.

Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards exchange words and punches backstage during the ESPN+ post-show https://t.co/kYEkWxN8Io

Speaking about the incident and UFC 278 in an interview with Yahoo! Sports, Dana White noted that Leon Edwards has the opportunity to shock the world and silence fans who call him "soft."

"I don't think he's got a reputation for being soft. Masvidal went over and threw those punches quick. I don't think that takes anything away from Edwards. Edwards has just had a string of bad luck, everything that could go wrong, has gone wrong. He's going into a situation now where he has the opportunity to write his own storybook ending, if he can go in and derail Kamaru Usman."

Catch the full interview here:

Leon Edwards wants his first title defense to be against Jorge Masvidal

Leon Edwards is already planning for life as a UFC champion, noting that he's already got an opponent in mind for his first title defense.

The 30-year-old wants to headline a card in London, England and face off against longtime rival Jorge Masvidal.

The 'three piece and soda' moment between the pair in 2019 has gone down as one of the most memorable in UFC history. Edwards and Masvidal were due to settle their differences in the octagon two years after the incident at UFC 269, but 'Gamebred' withdrew due to injury.

Speaking backstage at UFC London last month, 'Rocky' stated that he'd be willing to give Masvidal a shot at the title so he can prove he's not on the same "level."

"I would love to have Masvidal, you know? But, he needs to get wins. Let him get one win. Then imagine, like, him being back in London — like to headline London for the title, I'll give him the shot, you know? Just to show people that this man is nowhere near my level."

Catch the press conference below: