UFC 269: Jorge Masvidal vs. Leon Edwards canceled after 'Gamebred' sustains an undisclosed injury

According to a report from ESPN MMA's Brett Okamoto, Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards' UFC 269 grudge match is off. The bout cancelation is due to 'Gamebred' having sustained an injury during training camp.

Leon Edwards and Jorge Masvidal are long-time rivals, having previously gotten into a fist fight backstage at a UFC event in London, England. Fans were eagerly anticipating the culmination of several years of trash talk between the two welterweight contenders.

However, as reported by Okamoto, the fight is off and there is not yet any sign of a potential rebooking. Okamoto posted the following to his Twitter account:

"Jorge Masvidal (@GamebredFighter) vs. Leon Edwards (@Leon_edwardsmma) is off UFC 269 on Dec. 11, UFC's Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell tells ESPN. Undisclosed injury for Masvidal. No word yet on whether it will be rebooked or UFC will move on."

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Could Leon Edwards still fight at UFC 269?

As mentioned in Okamoto's report, there is no word on what the UFC's plans are in regards to either fighter. However, Edwards may seek to remain on the card to secure his place as number one contender at 170lbs.

There are a number of welterweights who could arguably step in as replacement opponents. There is one fighter, however, who fits the bill perfectly: Khamzat Chimaev. 'Borz' was initially booked to face Leon Edwards earlier this year.

Chimaev was forced to drop out of the fight due to complications with long covid. 'Borz' recently made an impressive return to form at UFC 267, submitting Li Jingliang in one round. He has stated he wishes to fight again before the year ends, and Edwards would appear to be a logical opponent.

Despite the huge amount of excitement surrounding Masvidal vs. Edwards, it pales in comparison to the hype train that is Khamzat Chimaev.