Leon Edwards, a prominent figure in the fighting arena, has expressed interest in a match against Islam Makhachev. However, he feels Islam still hasn’t finished the job in the lightweight division.
A dream match up that would be a true “The Battle of the Titans” is a realistic possibility. However, Leon believes that both fighters have tasks to accomplish in their respective divisions before this can materialize.Check what Leon Edwards had to say about Islam Makhachev in this post featured on X:
Leon Edwards welcomes a fight against Islam Makhachev, but says they both have some work to do in their division before it can happen:
"[He just had his] first defense against an actual lightweight. I feel like he's got a few more lightweights he's gotta go through first before… pic.twitter.com/V1sV6n48jw
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 4, 2024
Does Edwards still not consider Islam Makhachev a rightful competition?
Edwards acknowledges Makhachev’s recent defense against a genuine lightweight, but suggests that Makhachev needs to face and overcome more contenders in the lightweight category before considering a division upgrade.
Edwards himself is focused on making his mark within his division, aiming to solidify his position before pursuing high-profile ‘super fights’.
Makhachev’s recent exploit
In the recent UFC 302 event, Islam Makhachev defended his lightweight title against Dustin Poirier. The fight was a thrilling one and went all the way to the fifth round.
Makhachev spent much of the fight in control on the ground, but Poirier fought off his attempts and started to find his footing in the second round. However, in the final round, Makhachev engaged Poirier in a takedown attempt and eventually worked for a guillotine choke that he switched to a D’Arce to get the tap.
Makhachev’s victory extended his winning streak to 14 fights, the third longest in UFC history. After the fight, Makhachev expressed his desire to compete for the UFC welterweight crown.
Read more: https://www.mmaindia.com/ufc-referee-take-on-kevin-holland-armbar-that-broke-oleksiejczuks-hand/