Leon Edwards will finally get the opportunity to fight Kamaru Usman again for the UFC welterweight title later this year, president Dana White has confirmed.
Edwards, 30, has now won ten straight fights in the UFC - not including his no contest result against Belal Muhammad last March - since losing to the Nigerian Nightmare in 2015.
He is currently the UFC's No3 ranked welterweight contender in the world according to the latest official rankings, with only Colby Covington and Gilbert Burns above him at No1 and No2 respectively.
The Birmingham MMA fighter has not fought since he defeated Nate Diaz by unanimous decision at UFC 263 in June 2021.
When asked by TSN's Aaron Bronsteter if 'Rocky' is next for Usman, White replied: "100 percent [he's next], yeah.
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"That kid’s had a rough run and he deserves it.
"If you look at it, Colby [Covington] lost to him [Usman] twice, Gilbert [Burns] lost, Leon’s next. He’s No. 3.”
White was impressed by Edwards' willingness to accept a fight with the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev, and also admitted he owed him a bit of an apology.
During a recent appearance on The Jim Rome Podcast, the UFC chief mistakenly claimed the matchmakers have found it difficult trying to find anyone who will share the octagon with the Russian.
However, White has moved to retract those comments - and suggested Edwards was willing to do what no-one else would at the time.
He added: "I wanted to point out too, we were in a matchmaker meeting Tuesday, and I'm always like, 'Nobody wants to fight him, nobody wants to fight him'.
"Leon Edwards signed the bout agreement to fight him, and I think he was ranked No. 3 at the time, so I just wanted to make that clear publicly that he absolutely stepped up to fight him.
"He signed the bout agreement, then Khamzat got Covid, and that was the end of that.
"I'm bringing it up for a reason because I said that and never gave that kid the credit that he deserved. He said yes to a bout agreement and was ready to roll."
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