According to Michael Bisping, Leon Edwards is confronted with a tough fight back to the Welterweight title photo.
Former UFC champion Welterweight Leon Edwards's struggles with high-ranking grapplers took place in the UFC London Headliner. He lost to Sean Brady through the entry on Saturday and for the first time in his MMA career, Edwards has lost successive fights.
Edwards path to another welterweight title shot is further complicated after UFC London. UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad will be confronted against Jack della Maddalena in May on UFC 315, and a rematch with Muhammad is not easy on Edwards plate.
But for Edwards to return to the title mix, he has to win a big name, and Michael Bisping has an idea for the next outing of Edwards.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Michael Bisping Matchmakes Leon Edwards the next fight after UFC London
During the TNT Sports Post-Fight show, Bisping weighed who could be the next for Edwards, and the struggles he will have to overcome after UFC London.
“I love the Ian Garry -Matchup because I think Leon deserves to go outside and fight someone who will give him a stylistically favorable matchup,” said Bisping about Edwards. “Not a profitable fight, but no nightmare scenario … I think the biggest opponent for Leon Edwards, however, will be himself, what's going on [the head]?
“He accepts that” ok, I just beaten two really high level of grapplers, perhaps the two best grapplers in the division “… or did he hold the power to say for a minute, I am going to rebuild myself,” Bisping continued. “Or he collapses for the self -doubt, because that is now starting to crawl in … That will be the biggest fight. Because if he can look past it, I see a world where Leon Edwards is in the title mix again.
“He needs at least three victories, but he has to achieve some victories and finish people for those conversations to start over.”
Ian Machado Garry suffered his first career defeat against Shavkat Rakhmonov on UFC 310 in December, in a booking with a short not. Rakhmonov was supposed to get Muhammad in the main event before Garry performed weeks to fight Rakhmonov in a no. 1 competition fight.
Edwards and Garry were previously in their career teammates, but a messy separation between Garry and the leadership of the gym created tensions between the two top wells weights. A matchup between the two talented strikers would be logical for both parties.
Sean Brady mocked Leon Edwards with his characteristic name after UFC London
The tensions also did not illuminate between Edwards and Brady after UFC London. Brady accused Edwards of overseeing him who are fighting, and Brady poked Edwards on social media by imitating his 'headshot dead' pose.
UFC London spectators were not happy with Brady's victory over Edwards, because many stood out in the crowd and left the location halfway through the fight. British fans left in a similar volume during the loss of Edwards to Muhammad on UFC 304 in July.
From this letter, Edwards has not publicly tackled his performance in UFC London, although his brother Fabian responded to the event on social media with an optimistic message.
During his UFC Hall of Fame challenge, Bisping conquered various obstacles to ultimately protect a UFC championship belt dramatically. Whether the recent struggles of Edwards are an indicator of what is to come is uncertain, but he will try to bounce back by the end of the year.
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