(Officially) A New Era for the UFC Welterweight Division
By Eddie Sanchez
Leon Edwards entered his March 18, 2022 fight against Kamaru Usman as a man many in the general public thought was simply a champion for the time being. This label, despite having an official record of 10 – 0, 1 NC, in his previous eleven fights as the reigning champion, was not uncommon in the mixed martial arts world. Despite his success, he had Kamaru Usman’s previous dominance to blame.
With Usman as the general favorite, Edwards did not get the memo that his reign as champion was due. Fighting in front of his national fans in London, Edwards earned a majority decision victory against the aforementioned Usman. This victory came even with a point deducted for routinely grabbing the fence in round three.
Edwards has earned the respect of the community and now has backed that respect up. A tough bout against Colby Covington likely awaits (though this is not so cut and dry), which should provide drama, excitement, and another opportunity for Leon Edwards to show the world who he is – a True Champion.
ADDITIONAL CONTEXT
Leon Edwards remains ranked #4 P4P in the UFC, while Kamaru Usman dropped three spots to #8. Edwards will look to continue his reign as champion, as he has a number of exciting options to choose from for potential opponents.
Dana White has noted that (#2 WW) Colby Covington is next in line, though Edwards has voiced his frustration that Colby will receive a title shot despite being inactive. Beyond this, (#5 WW) Gilbert Burns is scheduled to fight (#11) Jorge Masvidal at UFC 287, (#4 WW) Belal Muhammad is rumored to face (#6) Shavkat Rakhmonov if Dana gets his way, and (#3) Khamzat Chimaev’s next opponent is unknown.
While Edwards’ frustration with Colby Covington likely being his next opponent is somewhat valid, the current landscape of the Welterweight division needs some sorting, and a fight against Covington could help solve this. Burns vs Masvidal and Muhammad vs Rakhmonov would clarify who is deserving out of those four men. Then there is the question about what to do with Chimaev and Usman. It would make sense for them to fight each other given where they sit in the rankings. Though, would the UFC relly want to risk Usman falling to a 0-3 hole? It’s possible. If they don’t fight each other, I imagine (#7 WW) Stephen Thompson gets the call for one of those men, with (#8) Geoff Neal likely getting the other.
The dust will settle soon on what’s next for Leon Edwards and how this impacts the rest of his contemporaries. Until then, fans have a lot to look forward to with this division.
