"Never in my life have I gotten so emotional" - Manager Tim Simpson describes "overwhelming" feeling of seeing Leon Edwards become world champion
Leon Edwards' manager Tim Simpson claims that watching his client win the welterweight championship at UFC 278 made him the most emotional he has ever been in his life. Senior Vice President, MMA at Paradigm Sports, Simpson manages some of the biggest names in the UFC.
Leon Edwards scripted one of the most epic comebacks in UFC title fight history when he knocked out Kamaru Usman in the last minute of the fifth round at UFC 278. The journey to glory for 'Rocky' was filled with uncertainty, obstacles, and disregard. Simpson and Edwards' team have been a rock-solid support for the fighter through difficult times, and their post-fight reactions proved how much the win meant to them.
Speaking with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Simpson claimed that he was overwhelmed by the whole experience:
''It's like it's not real man. To describe it, I've never really felt like this in my life. Never in my life have I gotten so emotional over something happy. I've never been in a position where I was overwhelmed with emotions.''
He added that the nature of the victory – a last-minute finish – was a gratifying feeling:
''It's been such a long journey and the way that it happened, was the way that it had to happen. The last minute in round five, that's just Leon in a nutshell. I can't really describe it other than that.''
Watch Tim Simpson's interview on The MMA Hour:
Leon Edwards' manager Tim Simpson believes a rematch with Nate Diaz in the UK would be amazing
Following Leon Edwards' spectacular victory against Kamaru Usman at UFC 278, talks of a rematch to complete the trilogy has been gaining momentum. However, the welterweight division will now witness one of its most dominant forces, Khamzat Chimaev, take on veteran Nate Diaz in the main event of UFC 279.
Having already beaten former No.2-ranked Gilbert Burns at UFC 273, a victory over Diaz would allow Chimaev to make a case for the next title shot. Diaz, on the other hand, has made his intentions clear about a move away from the UFC after fighting out the last bout of his contract.
Ariel Helwani threw a curveball question towards Leon Edwards' manager Tim Simpson, speaking about the prospect of his client's rematch with Diaz should the Stockton native beat Chimaev. Simpson was thrilled by the idea and said:
''That would be sick in the UK. That would be amazing. Completely sick.''
Leon Edwards fought Nate Diaz at UFC 263 and won the fight with a dominant unanimous decision.