Cannot wait for revenge - Leon Edwards tells Jorge Masvidal to "get some wins" to make "massive" grudge match
New UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards has called out former rival Jorge Masvidal to rack up a winning streak in the division to earn a fight against the Brit.
In an interview on The Jim Rome Show, Edwards discussed his stunning win over Kamaru Usman at UFC 278. When asked about his interest in a potential fight against Masvidal, 'Rocky' said:
"Yeah, 100%... At the moment, I think Jorge, he's on a 2-3 fight losing streak. He needs to go out there and get some wins and make the fight make sense and that's a fight that I think would be massive for the UFC. To get my revenge on him, I cannot wait."
Catch the full interview below:
Masvidal and Edwards have been on a collision course for three years after an incident backstage at UFC London. Masvidal was in the middle of a backstage interview with Laura Sanko when 'Rocky' intervened. Masvidal then started to walk towards Edwards with his hands behind his back and as he got closer to him, he landed a flurry of punches, which he later termed a "three-piece and a soda." The strikes left a cut on Edwards' face in the aftermath of the fight.
“Three piece with a soda” enters the MMA lexicon twitter.com/espnmma/status…
In December 2021, a proposed blockbuster fight between the duo fell through when the American was forced to withdraw from the UFC 269 bout due to an undisclosed injury. 'Gamebred' called out Edwards in the aftermath of his title win and the Brit has now responded by saying that the American should return to winning ways first against other opponents in the division. Masvidal has not won his last three fights, most recently losing to Colby Covington at UFC 272.
Chael Sonnen praises Jorge Masvidal's smart tactic to earn a title fight against Leon Edwards
Chael Sonnen has explained why Jorge Masvidal will always be a name in the reckoning for Leon Edwards' welterweight title in the coming months.
In a new episode of Beyond the Fight, Sonnen credited 'Gamebred' for playing his cards right. He said:
"Jorge Masvidal knew he wasn't going to get back in there with Kamaru Usman. He was fully aware and Jorge Masvidal knows that he owes Leon a fight. So Jorge, to get in front of this thing, on the outside chance that Leon would win, started to position himself and attach himself to Leon. He's very smart how he did it, because he came off as very sincere."
Watch Chael Sonnen talk about Jorge Masvidal facing Leon Edwards:
Leon Edwards has said he's willing to face any opponent but would like to make his maiden title defense in the UK, with UFC President Dana White suggesting Wembley Stadium as one of the possible venues. Edwards is on a 10-fight unbeaten streak, while Masvidal hasn't won a bout since beating Nate Diaz in 2019.