Reports: Leon Edwards vs Colby Covington being targeted for UFC London on July 22
Reports are beginning to surface which state that Leon Edwards will be attempting to make his second defense of the welterweight crown when he welcomes Colby Covington back into the octagon on July 22nd.
After scoring a late head kick knockout of the then-pound-for-pound king Kamaru Usman to claim UFC gold, 'Rocky managed to prove the doubters wrong in his next outing. Some believed the Brit's win over the wrestler was nothing more than luck, but he put an end to that narrative with a decision win in the trilogy.
On social media earlier today, rumors began emerging stating that Leon Edwards will, in fact, be forced to defend his title against Colby Covington, with the pair set to headline UFC 291 in London:
The UFC is looking to book Leon Edwards v Colby Covington for UFC London on July 22nd
This would be UFC 291
via @JustinBarrasso https://t.co/GuDqhXj56Y
'Chaos' has been away from the cage since his altercation with Jorge Masvidal, which eventually led to legal proceedings taking place. The welterweights have seemingly put that behind them and are both ready to get back into the thick of things inside the coveted UFC octagon.
Since defending his title for the first time, Leon Edwards has been adamant that he will not entertain a fight against the NCAA Division I wrestler, despite Dana White claiming otherwise.
The Birmingham native has his sights firmly set on Masvidal's upcoming clash against explosive Brazilian Gilbert Burns. The pair are set to meet in the co-main event of UFC 287 next weekend, with the champion open to the winner being given the next shot at his title.
Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington and other rumored bouts at UFC 291
There is still quite some time for UFC 291 to take shape, but there have been a number of rumored bouts that could all be added to the London event.
Starting off with the aforementioned Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington clash, the pay-per-view will have a clear main event slot and the country's second title fight in a short four-month period.
A huge return to action could be on the cards as Tom Aspinall nears the end of his recovery. After suffering an injury the last time he competed in the UK, the well-rounded heavyweight is eager to make his comeback and is interested in a potential bout against Polish powerhouse Marcin Tybura.
While it's unclear as to when he is willing to get back into the cage, Paddy Pimblett has called for a rematch against Jared Gordon following the controversial end to their fight last time out.