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UFC president Dana White has revealed that Leon Edwards should be next in line for the welterweight championship if he "puts on a show" against Belal Muhammad this weekend.
Edwards' last fight happened in 2019 when he defeated Rafael dos Anjos. The bout against the Brazilian marked Rocky's eighth straight win in the UFC.
Speaking to BT Sport's Caroline Pearce, the UFC boss said Edwards would "100 percent" get his title shot if he defeats Muhammad at UFC Vegas 21.
Edwards' last defeat in the promotion came against the current champion Kamaru Usman when they fought back in 2015.
The British welterweight fighter was initially scheduled to face the division's rising star Khamzat Chimaev. However, the bout was canceled three times.
For the first time, Edwards tested positive for COVID-19 and had to step away from the bout. It was rescheduled for December 2020, but then it was Chimaev who got infected with the virus.
The UFC went for a third attempt to make the fight happen in February 2021, but Chimaev presented long-lasting symptoms of the disease and had to withdraw from it again
The Swedish-Russian welterweight sensation got so badly struck by the virus that the UFC decided to bring him to the United States looking for specialized treatment.
However, it looks like the practice didn't produce the desired goal as Chimaev is reportedly still struggling with the infection's after-effects.
Chimaev shocked the mixed martial arts community when he posted a picture to his social media of a bloodied sink, supposedly from his COVID-19 related coughs, followed by a text announcing his retirement from fighting.
Edwards also reportedly suffered a bad case of the disease, losing almost 12 pounds while infected with the virus.
Leon Edwards believes he will fight Kamaru Usman for the UFC welterweight belt
The UFC is setting up a rematch between Jorge Masvidal and Kamaru Usman for the welterweight championship likely to take place in September. In a recent interview with Helen Yee, Leon Edwards gave his take on the upcoming title fight.
"I think if not the full ten out of ten times, probably nine of them. I think, stylistically, [Jorge Masvidal] is the perfect matchup for [Kamaru] Usman. Anything can happen, at the end of it, it's a fight. But if I had to put money on it, if I was a betting man, then I would probably bet Usman to beat him again."
