'%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)
What's the story?
The Welterweight division is currently the most stacked weight class of the UFC. Kamaru Usman sits atop the division that has countless fighters aiming to dethrone him as the Welterweight Champion.
While Colby Covington is next in line for a shot at Usman's title, the fans have also voiced their desire to see Jorge Masvidal get the coveted fight for the championship. Former Welterweight title contender Stephen Thompson is not on the same page.
During a media scrum, Wonderboy revealed that he feels Leon Edwards is ahead of Masvidal in the pecking order for a title opportunity.
In case you didn't know...
After losing to Stephen Thompson at UFC 217 in November 2017, Masvidal made a resurgent return to the Octagon in 2019 and convincingly won two fights. His emphatic KO victory over Darren Till in March earlier this year brought him back into the limelight, which was followed up with a historic 5-second KO of Ben Askren at UFC 239 in July.
Leon Edwards has also taken his game to a whole new level. 'Rocky' is currently on an 8-fight win streak, with his last fight ending in a unanimous decision victory over former Lightweight Champion Rafael dos Anjos.
Edwards and Masvidal infamously got into a backstage altercation at UFC Fight Night 147 in which the former suffered an injury under his left eye as a result of a punch from Masvidal. Both men have continued to call each other out for a grudge match while also staying focussed on winning gold in the UFC.
The heart of the matter
When asked about the potential title challengers in the Welterweight division, Thompson was quick to name Edwards over Masvidal. Wonderboy credited Edwards for consistently putting on great performances and believed that the British fighter should be favoured over Masvidal.
“Leon Edwards is on an 8 fight winning streak, wow. So he could possibly be fighting for the title. I know everyone’s talking Masvidal, but he’s had two wins and his third loss was me at MSG. I think there are other people more deserving of the title, but he’s put on some good shows and knocked out some good people so you never know."
Wonderboy admitted that the UFC may prefer Masvidal over Edwards as the former has strung together some impressive knockouts and has the fans on his side.
“He’s doing very well in the division (Edwards), so I think at the top, maybe him. I think under him, maybe Masvidal. He’s got some great knockouts, but it really depends what the UFC and fans want. And the UFC is going towards what the fans want nowadays, so it could be Masvidal but I think Leon Edwards has definitely proven he deserves a shot at the title.” H/t credit: BJPenn.com
The #7 ranked Thompson even spoke about his future and was open for a fight against RDA at UFC 244, which is slated to take place at the Madison Square Garden on November 7th.
What's next?
UFC matchmakers have a lot of work to do as the Welterweight division is the healthiest it has been in years. Covington will face Usman later this year but what happens to the other top-ranked fighters in the division?
What are the fights you would like to see UFC book? Let us know in the comments section below.
