UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards has shut down Islam Makhachev’s recent fight callout stating that they both have work to do in their respective divisions before they consider super fights.
UFC lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev, equaled the record for the most amount of UFC lightweight title defenses in history, with a win over Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 this past Saturday.
Following another monumental win, the Russian revealed that it is his dream to fight for a second belt and stated that he is eyeing the potential of moving up to welterweight for his next fight.
Current welterweight champion, Leon Edwards, last defended his 170lb title against Colby Covington at UFC 296 this past December, moving to two successful title defenses.
Leon Edwards shuts down Makhachev’s dream of a second belt
Despite welcoming the idea of fighting the lightweight champion, Edwards claimed that both he and Makhachev have ‘work to do’ before they can have a super fight.
‘Rocky’ Edwards is scheduled to defend his title at UFC 304 on July 27, against Belal Muhammad, and ‘Remember The Name’ has been training with Makhachev and his team ahead of the main event in Manchester.
Islam was offered a fight against Edwards for UFC 300, but he reportedly turned down the opportunity as the timing clashed with Ramadan.
“I welcome it but I think we’ve both got work to do within our (own) divisions. Unless we both go on this reign, then why not?” Edwards told Sky Sports.
“He’s just (defended) against his first lightweight, actual lightweight, you know. I feel like he’s got a few more lightweights to go through first before he can even think about moving up. Like I said, if we both go on this reign then why not later on in the future?” the champion added.
Leon Edwards dreams of a second belt of his own
The Brit went on to map out his own goals for the next year and a half, stating that he wants to defend his 170lb title a few more times, before moving up to middleweight to fight for a second belt of his own.
“I want to move up, that is my plan because I’m a big boy and I enjoy eating my food so I would like to go up and challenge for the middleweight belt, that is my goal.
“My plan is to chase greatness, I feel like defending my belt in my division is not exciting for me, my excitement is me getting another belt so my plan was to (move up) next year. Defend my belt twice this year and then maybe one more (defense) next year then later on in the year have a big middleweight fight,” the Brit stated.
The current middleweight champion, Dricus Du Plessis, is yet to defend the title, with it rumored that he will take on Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in August.
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