Current UFC Welterweight champion Leon Edwards had a well publicized scuffle with Masvidal some years back. The infamous scuffle produced the ‘3 piece and a soda’ saying.
It seems like Edwards’ next match is right in front of him as he will face Kamaru Usman in March. Although there were some concerns about Usman’s health, it seems like everything is set up for that trilogy match to take place at UFC 286 in London, England.
Edwards recently said that he asked Jorge Masvidal to try and earn a title shot in London in March but Masvidal didn’t fulfil his part of the bargain.
Masvidal and Edwards have a history of rivalry between them. Since Edwards won the championship, Masvidal has been clamoring for a title shot. The only issue is that Masvidal hasn’t picked up a victory since November 2019.
Edwards said that he offered Masvidal an opportunity to win that title shot with a little ultimatum, but he declined to accept it.
He told Michael Bisping on YouTube,
“I don’t like him that much that I’m rooting for him to win so I can fight him, but he just keeps losing. It’s hard to make a fight make sense.”
“I even said to him if you went out there and fought in say December or January like Gilbert or somebody, beat one of them then I’ll fight you in March and then catch Usman in the summer or something, you know what I mean, let him rest his hands a bit and I’ll fight you in March but he didn’t even do that.”
The two got into a fight behind the scenes during an event in London in 2019. Since then, they have been rivals.
Masvidal and Edwards were supposed to face each other in December 2021. However, Masvidal was injured and had to pull out of their scheduled bout. Edwards then went on to compete for the title.
Edwards stated:
“Skillset wise we are on two different levels. His career is doing this (hand movements down) mine is doing this (hand movements up). It’s hard to make the fight make sense right now but that’s a fight I need to happen, I want to happen.”
Masvidal is not the only one attempting to unseat the reigning champion. Edwards has received call outs from numerous division members, but must first finish the trilogy match with Usman.