Potential Future Opponents for Leon Edwards
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Leon Edwards had a nice run with the welterweight title, but unfortunately, it ended in Manchester this past Saturday. Edwards is a great fighter and has built a substantial following, especially in the United Kingdom. The Englishman will be looking to return to a title, and he could have many exciting fights at 170. There are some significant potential opponents Edwards could face.
Ian Garry
Ian Garry has deftly made his mark in the welterweight division. He is coming off a great win against Michael Page, where he silenced many critics. The Irishman is a fight or two away from the title. A contest with the former champion would most likely interest Garry because a win over Edwards would grant him a championship opportunity. There is a backstory between the two, as Garry was kicked out of Edwards' gym, creating a lot of tension between them. When thinking about how the fight would play out, one can see that the two are elite strikers. Edwards would most likely be the favourite because he has more of a ground game, even though Garry has a fantastic Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skill set. It is safe to say that it would be a great fight and attract many fans because there would be a lot of interest in the contest.
Stephen Thompson
Stephen Thompson is a legend of the game and has had a phenomenal career inside the UFC Octagon. Even though he is older in the division, the former title challenger can mix it up with the best. He is coming off a loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov, but Thompson looked as if he had a lot of fight left in him. Edwards and Thompson are two stellar names in the 170 division, and it is a fight that many people are interested in. However, the question would be whether the UFC would make the fight. They should consider it because, stylistically, it would be a great matchup as they are both known for putting on great striking displays and are tough as nails. It would be a fantastic fight to see, and a win would benefit both fighters.
Belal Muhammad
A big question coming out of UFC 304 was whether Edwards deserves an immediate rematch. The Englishman has had a couple of title defences; Muhammad won by unanimous decision in Manchester primarily because of his outstanding wrestling. Yet, Edwards has shown he can defeat high-level wrestlers such as Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington. This means that the rematch has the potential to be closer because there is evidence that Edwards can defeat a fighter similar to Muhammad. It will be interesting to see what happens with the welterweight title now, and some arguments can be made for Edwards to get a rematch.
Edwards is a great fighter, and seeing what he does next will be interesting.
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