UFC welterweight champ Leon Edwards could be a part of the promotion’s return to Madison Square Garden at UFC 295.
UFC President Dana White told TNT Sports Edwards will definitely appear “before the end of the year” and “could play out to possibly fight at MSG.”
White didn’t explicitly mention Edwards’ expected opponent, Colby Covington, who got the title nod by virtue of being the backup fighter for the champ’s rematch with Kamaru Usman at UFC 286. Edwards vs. Covington was targeted to take place at UFC London, which takes place Saturday at London’s The O2, but Edwards later pumped the brakes on that idea, targeting a fall return.
Edwards initially dismissed Covington as an opponent, saying the two-time welterweight champion didn’t deserve the chance to fight for his belt. But his rep later said the U.K. star wouldn’t “die on the hill” to make another contender, such as the surging Belal Muhammad, his next challenge.
Edwards targeted UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi as a potential destination for his next fight, and lightweight champ Islam Makhachev recently challenged the welterweight champ to a showdown at the event. White said the promotion has already scheduled out events until that month, leaving open spots on the November pay-per-view card currently fronted by a heavyweight title showdown between champ Jon Jones and ex-champ Stipe Miocic.
Edwards is four months removed from a decision win over Kamaru Usman at UFC 286 in a rematch of his title-winning knockout of the ex-champ in August 2022. Covington hasn’t fought since a March 2022 decision over his ex-friend and training partner Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272. Masvidal allegedly assaulted Covington in a restaurant shortly afterward, leading to a criminal case that remains pending.
Below is White’s full interview.
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