"3 piece and a soda time" - Jorge Masvidal's manager accepts Leon Edwards' call-out on behalf of 'Gamebred'

Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards [Images via @gamebredfighter and @btsport on Instagram]

Jorge Masvidal's manager Malki Kawa has accepted Leon Edwards' call-out ahead of UFC 278 on behalf of his client. Leading up to the event, Edwards spoke in various interviews expressing his willingness to defend his belt against Masvidal first should he beat Kamaru Usman.

Edwards scripted an epic comeback against Usman at UFC 278 when he pulled out a startling head-kick KO against the Nigerian in the last round. This prompted a reply from Masvidal's manager, who reminded 'Rocky' about their infamous backstage altercation:

''3 piece and a soda time. Yes we accept Leon Edwards''

3 piece and a soda time. Yes we except Leon Edwards

'Gamebred' made the three-piece and a soda quote famous when he gave an explanation for his backstage scuffle with Edwards at UFC London in 2019. Masvidal had just laid his two-fight losing streak to rest against crowd-favorite Darren Till in front of his home crowd at the O2 Arena.

'Rocky' interfered during Masvidal's post-fight interview while trying to set-up a potential fight between the two. The scuffle that followed fueled the beginning of a long-standing rivalry between the two.

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

"Everybody on the card was getting tired" - Leon Edwards blames Salt Lake City altitude for gassing out

UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards has blamed the high altitude of Salt Lake City for gassing out in his fight against Kamaru Usman. UFC 278 was hosted by Salt Lake City, which is at an altitude of 4,226 feet, higher than most major cities in the United States.

Several fighters on the card, including the likes of Luke Rockhold and Paulo Costa in the co-main event, struggled to manage their gas tank.

Leon Edwards' path to victory at UFC 278 wasn't a cakewalk by any means. Usman overturned the deficit of the first round to with a dominant display of wrestling control in the later rounds. A visibly exhausted Edwards was radically fading away, but his team encouraged him to dig deep in the fifth round.

The British fighter set up a crafty high kick that stifled his opponent and knocked him out clean.

Speaking to Megan Olivi for ESPN MMA, Edwards said that his body wasn't reacting like it usually does, and he observed a lot of fighters get gassed out during their fights:

''I don't know. I can't explain. My body for some reason wasn't reacting. I was watching the fights backstage, and Luke and everyone was gassing out. I don't know whether it was altitude or what it was, but for some reason everyone on the card was getting tired.''

While the MMA community has been raving about his performance, 'Rocky' has been severely critical, calling it one of his worst performances:

''That was one of my worst performances. But I still ended up finishing the pound-for-pound best.''

Watch Leon Edwards' post-fight interview with ESPN MMA below :