"I'm not sure that's a risk that the promotion wants to take" - Jon Anik explains why UFC will try its best to ensure Leon Edwards fights Kamaru Usman next in trilogy
Jon Anik has explained why the UFC will try its best to ensure that UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards faces Kamaru Usman in their trilogy fight next. In the latest edition of the Timbo Sugarshow podcast, Anik spoke to UFC bantamweight ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley and the latter’s coach Tim Welch regarding multiple topics.
‘Sugar’ notably highlighted the possibility of newly crowned UFC welterweight kingpin Leon Edwards defending his title against longtime rival Jorge Masvidal next.
Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards exchange words and punches backstage during the ESPN+ post-show https://t.co/kYEkWxN8Io
Masvidal famously sucker-punched Edwards backstage at the UFC London event in March 2019. ‘Rocky’ vowed to avenge the attack someday. The UFC later scheduled Edwards to face ‘Gamebred’ in a welterweight matchup at UFC 269 in December 2021.
However, Masvidal withdrew from the fight due to injury issues. Edwards subsequently faced Kamaru Usman in a rematch this August. In the dying moments of their grueling bout, Edwards secured a head-kick KO win over Usman to capture the UFC welterweight title.
Every angle of the stunning KO that made @Leon_edwardsmma a champion 🏆
Right. On. The. Money.
#UFC278 https://t.co/rB9SaTz0UD
UFC commentator Jon Anik has opined that the UFC is unlikely to risk letting Leon Edwards fight Jorge Masvidal next. Anik insinuated that the organization may not let Edwards fight anyone other than Usman next, lest ‘Rocky’ loses the title.
The consensus is that if Edwards loses his belt to someone other than Usman, it’d take away the allure of the much-awaited Edwards-Usman trilogy fight. Anik stated:
“With respect to your [O’Malley’s] enthusiasm for Masvidal and Edwards – obviously, they’ve got to do the [Edwards-Usman] trilogy now, you know, I think. But perhaps the calendar won’t align. But you always run the risk that Leon loses that belt, you know. And I’m not sure that’s a risk that the promotion wants to take.”
Watch Anik discuss the topic at 31:37 in the video below:
John McCarthy outlines the ideal timeline for Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards 3
Kamaru Usman beat Leon Edwards via unanimous decision in 2015 but lost the rematch via knockout last month.
UFC president Dana White has suggested that their third fight could transpire in Edwards’ native UK in early 2023. On that note, former MMA referee ‘Big’ John McCarthy has advised Usman to refrain from rushing back into action.
On the Weighing In podcast, McCarthy explained that Kamaru Usman deserves to face Leon Edwards for the belt next, but should first recover from his recent KO loss to ‘Rocky'. Advising Usman to take at least three months off, he opined that the trilogy shouldn’t take place before March 2023:
“You can do little things, but no f****** sparring or something like that, not getting knocked out the way he did. December, close to, start your training. March or April, I'm good with.”
Watch McCarthy’s assessment below: