‘I’m the actual No.1 contender’: Leon Edwards vows to placed on ‘masterclass’ in opposition to Nate Diaz at UFC 263 as he chases title glory

UFC welterweight star Leon Edwards says that there might be little doubt because the id of the true primary contender at 170lbs early on Sunday morning when he’s by way of with Nate Diaz.

Edwards stays probably the most feared fighters within the UFC’s 170lbs fold regardless of a vastly unlucky 18 months which noticed him miss out on a number of excessive profile scraps because of restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, which noticed showdowns with the likes of Tyron Woodley and Khamzat Chimaev scrapped.

His eventual return to motion got here in March however that too was ended early and declared a no-contest when opponent Belal Muhammad was deemed unable to proceed after being the recipient of an unintentional eye-poke courtesy of the Jamaican-born Brit.

However at Saturday evening’s UFC 263 from Glendale, Arizona Edwards has landed himself the kind of excessive profile struggle he has been craving to separate himself from the remainder of the welterweight pack – and he says that by the point he’s completed with Nate Diaz late on Saturday evening, the UFC may have no alternative however to fast-track him right into a title struggle with reigning champ Kamaru Usman. 

“I believe as soon as I am going on the market and put Nate away, that can put the UFC on discover that I’m the actual primary contender,” Edwards informed MMA Preventing.

“I do know Dana [White] got here out the opposite day saying Colby [Covington] is getting a title shot however I don’t assume he deserves it. I’m going on the market to placed on a masterclass in opposition to Diaz, put him away and clear my title shot. I can’t see how they justify giving Colby the title shot after I’ve been right here working my ass off for the final 4 years, 5 years, since final being defeated by Kamaru Usman.“

5-and-a-half years, truly. Edwards’ run by way of the welterweight body in recent times has been nothing wanting exemplary however, to this point no less than, he has but to forge a path again to Usman – the final man handy him a loss in a struggle which got here early in each of their UFC careers.

Since then, each males are undefeated by way of a mixed 21 fights however Usman’s final title and subsequent title defence may have each come in opposition to fighters he had already lately defeated (Jorge Masvidal and Covington), leaving Edwards extra time so as to add to an unbeaten streak rivalled solely by Usman within the division. 

And he says that the time for him to attend patiently on the sidelines for a chance is over.

“I am going on the market and show my case once more, for the ninth time in a row. I might be world champion by the top of this yr,” he mentioned. “I can really feel it in my bones. The final yr and a half was all for this second. It’s all good the way in which it’s enjoying out. It’s figuring out because it’s meant to work out.

“[Usman] is the final man to have crushed me, he obtained the choice over me. I need to get that one again. I imagine I might have carried out approach higher within the struggle. I’ve proven over my final eight, 9 fights. That’s all it’s.

“I need to get my win again, be a world champion and he’s simply the man that’s obtained the belt. I’m going to must defeat him to be a world champion.“

Additionally on rt.com

First issues first, although, Edwards must make good on his pledge to ‘slice and cube’ the notoriously gritty Diaz, a fighter who hardly ever makes it by way of a struggle with out bloodshed. The Stockton man is strictly the kind of blood n’ guts fighters that UFC followers can simply latch on to, which is why for Edwards this represents such a chance to demand he be recnognized in title discuss. 

“This is without doubt one of the largest fights within the division if not the most important struggle within the division,” Edwards mentioned of his opponent. “It’s going to be an excellent struggle. I’m going to place the efficiency of my life in. The gang’s going to see, the world’s going to see and the UFC’s going to see that I belong within the primary contender’s spot.“