'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
March 21st in the O2 Arena. Mark your calendars because London will be witnessing an elite Welterweight match-up with title contention potentially on the line. Leon Edwards is currently ranked No.4 in the Welterweight division and believes that he has done enough to earn a title shot.
Brett Okamoto of ESPN announced on Twitter that Edwards will be taking on Tyron Woodley in the main event:
He is currently riding an right-fight win streak, having last suffered a defeat in 2015 to the current UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman. Three wins over elite contenders in Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone, Gunnar Nelson and Rafael Dos Anjos means that the Britisher is just a win away from earning a title shot.
Tyron Woodley hasn't fought since losing the Welterweight title to Usman in 2019 and was playing the long game to get a more favorable deal. At first, he refused to fight Edwards in London since he didn't want to go abroad unless it was for a vacation.
However, it turned out to be a negotiation tactic to get a better deal for the fight - one that we can only hope he was successful at getting. Either way, it's an exciting match-up and it makes perfect sense to headline UFC London as it's a fight that could potentially determine Kamaru Usman's next opponent and one of the highest-level fights in the Welterweight division.
Woodley is the highest-ranked Welterweight outside of Usman and Edwards has the perfect opportunity to cement himself as the No.1 contender. While many believe that Jorge Masvidal should be fighting for the title, the latter has openly stated that if Conor McGregor wins at UFC 246, that will be the fight he takes first and after that - Usman.
The Welterweight title picture is certainly going to be interesting this year with more contenders on the rise. Anything can happen and we love this match-up between Edwards and Woodley. Who will walk out on top? Voice your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
