Leon Edwards and Khamzat Chimaev were scheduled to face each other in the Octagon not once, not twice, but three times. This matchup, however, never came to fruition, leaving fight fans wondering “what if?”.
After a disappointing loss to Belal Muhammad at UFC 304, Leon Edwards was determined to get back on track to remain a top contender in the welterweight division.
Initially, Edwards was set to headline UFC London against Jack Della Maddalena. However, plans changed, and Della Maddalena was offered a title shot at UFC 315. This left Edwards to face Sean Brady on short notice.
Unfortunately for Edwards and his UK fanbase, he suffered his second consecutive defeat. Brady defeated Edwards by submission in the fourth round, marking the first time Edwards had been stopped in his professional career.
Fans Speculate on Hypothetical Edwards vs. Chimaev Fight
During Edwards` journey to the welterweight title, the UFC attempted to book a fight between him and Khamzat Chimaev on three separate occasions.
The first booking was in 2019 at the UFC Apex, but Edwards tested positive for COVID-19, forcing him to withdraw.
They were rescheduled for a month later at a Fight Night in Abu Dhabi, but this time Chimaev pulled out due to ongoing complications from COVID-19.
The UFC tried a third time a few months later, but Chimaev withdrew again due to health issues, which ultimately led to his initial retirement from MMA.
Given Edwards` recent struggles against fighters with strong grappling skills, fans have been revisiting the cancelled matchups with Chimaev and imagining how those fights might have played out.
“It’s crazy, I totally forgot that this was going to be a thing. Lucky indeed,” one fan commented, suggesting Edwards was fortunate the fight didn`t happen.
“Forget Khamzat. Imagine what Islam would’ve done to him,” another fan pondered, referencing lightweight champion Islam Makhachev`s potential move to welterweight.
During Edwards` title reign, Makhachev hinted at moving up to 170lbs to challenge Edwards for the welterweight belt.
“Dude dodged 3 bullets back to back,” another fan remarked, implying Edwards avoided three potential losses to Chimaev.
Michael Bisping Suggests Edwards` Next Opponent
With Leon Edwards` career facing a downturn, a victory in his next fight is crucial.
UFC legend Michael Bisping has suggested a path back to title contention for Edwards, starting with a fight against Ian Machado Garry.
Edwards and Machado Garry have a history stemming from Garry`s brief training period at Edwards` gym, which ended with Garry being asked to leave.
With both fighters needing a win and a striker-versus-striker style matchup, a fight between Edwards and Machado Garry could be a logical next step for both welterweights.
