Leon Edwards needs to climb the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings.
Edwards (21-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC) defends his welterweight title in a rematch in opposition to Belal Muhammad within the UFC 304 headliner July 27 at Co-op Reside in Manchester, England. Edwards is at the moment ranked No. 4 within the official pound-for-pound rankings and is aiming to ascend.
“That’s my purpose,” Edwards informed talkSPORT MMA. “Clearly my first purpose was to attain this (UFC title), and now I’ve acquired it. I’ve acquired to make one other purpose, what’s going to get me up within the morning to go on the market and obtain what I’m attempting to attain – the numbers, the cash, the pound-for-pound rankings.”
Light-weight champ Islam Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) has expressed his curiosity in difficult for the welterweight title on quite a few events, and Edwards can see that battle occurring.
However Edwards has the need to maneuver up a weight class himself.
“For certain, for certain,” Edwards mentioned of combating Makhachev. “I really feel like we’ve each acquired work to do inside our division. I really feel Islam simply fought his very first light-weight (Poirier). He fought Volk, however that is his very first light-weight he’s fought inside the division.
“He’s on a 3 protection streak. After I beat Belal, that will probably be my third, as effectively, so we’re each on related paths. I can see that occuring sooner or later. Additionally, I want to transfer up, as effectively, and problem for the middleweight belt hopefully. I really feel like I’d have the dimensions for it and the ability for it, so why not chase greatness?”
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