Leon Edwards is plotting his course in the UFC as he prepares for his next title defense. The UFC Welterweight Champion will take on Belal Muhammad next as he defends his title in front of his home crowd at UFC 304 towards the end of July. However, the fighter’s ultimate aim is to move up and challenge Islam Makhachev for the middleweight belt, and he revealed it all in an interview with talkSPORT on YouTube.
Edwards has had an impressive rise to the top in welterweight. He won the belt after defeating long-standing champion Kamaru Usman before defending it twice. In the build-up to his next fight against Muhammad, Edwards sat down for an interview with talkSPORT, where he was asked about his plan to fight Makhachev in the future. To this, the 32-year-old said,
“For sure for sure, I feel like we’ve both got work to do within our division…We’re both on similar paths so I can see that happening in the future, also I would like to move up as well and challenge for middleweight belt.”
Leon Edwards expresses interest in a Champ vs Champ matchup against Islam Makhachev but says they both “still got work to do”
He also says he’d like to move up and fight for the middleweight belt eventually
@talkSPORT #UFC304 #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/nqgTPNKRIL
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 9, 2024
Yet another goal ‘Rocky’ has set for himself is to be the #1 ranked P4P fighter in the UFC. That list currently has Makhachev at the top following his impressive win over Dustin Poirier. On top of it, Edwards has to clear out his division first before he can think of moving up in weight, as after Muhammad, several worthy opponents are waiting to steal his crown.
Speaking of Edwards, a famous UFC referee recently revealed why he would never officiate the welterweight champ’s fights.
Referee Marc Goddard reveals he will never officiate an Edwards fight
Marc Goddard has been with the UFC almost since its inception and is currently one of the top referees in the promotion. However, fans have never seen him officiating an Edwards fight, and Goddard eventually revealed the reason during an interview on the OverDogs Podcast on YouTube, saying,
“Leon Edwards, you’ve never saw me referee Leon Edwards in the UFC and you never will. Why? Because obviously I’m Edwards first coach, MMA. Way, way, way back when.”
Marc Goddard explains why he never has, and never will referee a Leon Edwards fight
He also tells the story of when he personally requested not to referee Israel Adesanya vs Alex Pereira 2
@OverDogsPodcast #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/b7eZxo56x9
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 7, 2024
Goddard then went on to talk about how he still has a weak spot for Edwards and does not want that to come in the way of his duty. He also made it pretty clear that he will never officiate an Edwards fight as long as he remains in the UFC.
