UFC welterweight Leon Edwards promised a title shot if he manages to beat Khamzat Chimaev
For a significant amount of time now, Leon Edwards has been a name discussed to get a title shot in the stacked UFC welterweight division.
It would seem as if the Birmingham native is finally about to get his chance. ‘Rocky’ is scheduled to take on Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of UFC on ESPN+44 on December 19th, which is the last card for the year 2020.
Speaking with Ariel Helwani, Edwards confirmed that he has been promised a title shot if he gets a win over Chimaev.
When Helwani asked whether it has been stated that he will get a title shot if he beats Chimaev on December 19th, Edwards replied: “That’s been mentioned. Yeah. When I go out there and beat him, I believe I will get the title shot next.”
He continued, delivering a message that sounded as though it was for Dana White: “Who are you gonna give it (title shot) to then, Masvidal again? Colby again? Who you gonna give it to? It has to be me, right? So, let's see.”
Edwards last fought in July 2019, getting a unanimous decision win over former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos.
Being a resident of England, Edwards suffered the effects of global lockdown when his fights scheduled for 2020 were canceled.
Chimaev, on the other hand, has had a productive 2020, setting a record for the fastest turnaround between three UFC wins. He was called out by various fighters, including former middleweight champion Chris Weidman.
Edwards, however, was chosen as Khamzat’s opponent for what will be ‘Borz’s’ biggest challenge to date after the Englishman called the Swede out.
Leon Edwards is on an eight-fight win streak in the UFC welterweight division
‘Rocky’ has been on an impressive eight-fight win streak dating back to 2016.
He has beaten figures like Vicente Luque, Donald Cerrone, and Gunnar Nelson in that span. What many UFC analysts find to be the most impressive thing about his run is the skillset he has showcased throughout.
He out-grappled the highly-touted BJJ black belt Gunnar Nelson while outstriking the kickboxer and UFC veteran Donald Cerrone.
It will be interesting to see how Leon Edwards perform in December now that he finally faces the prospect of being one fight away from a title shot.