Tag: Leon Edwards

Fight simulation: How Tyron Woodley vs. Leon Edwards at UFC London played out in ‘EA UFC 3’

It did happen at UFC on ESPN+ 29 due to coronavirus concerns, but you can still see Tyron Woodley vs. Leon Edwards through “EA UFC 3.”

We won’t be getting the [autotag]Tyron Woodley[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] welterweight headliner at UFC on ESPN+ 29 due to the coronavirus outbreak, but “EA UFC 3” can at least offer the next best thing.

The UFC’s official video game has both fighters available to match up and give fans the fight that was supposed to happen at The O2 in London before the card was one of three events postponed by the promotion due to the banning of group gatherings as well as travel restrictions.

Woodley (19-4-1 MMA, 9-3-1 UFC) vs. Edwards (18-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) would’ve been a key fight at 170 pounds, which has proven to be among the most talent-rich in the UFC. It was scheduled to be Woodley’s first fight since dropping the UFC title to Kamaru Usman at UFC 239 in March 2019, while Edwards entered with a divisional-best eight fight winning streak.

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How did the contest play out in the “EA UFC 3” video game? MMA Junkie provides the answer in the video above.

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

MMA vs. coronavirus: Staying up to date on developments during the COVID-19 pandemic

We keep you updated on the latest MMA schedule plans amid unprecedented circumstances.

The COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the globe has caused the sporting world to grind to a virtual standstill, with even MMA forced to step down its efforts to plow on in the face of rising health concerns.

The outbreak has changed daily living for people in all walks of life, with terms like “self-isolation,” and “social distancing,” not to mention more hand washing than ever before becoming part of our daily routines.

With their main sources of income now severely curtailed, everyone in the MMA world finds themselves facing a different battle in an effort to stay safe as they, like the rest of us, adapt to a new normal during the global health crisis.

Via this page, we’ll keep you right up to date with the latest developments and stories throughout the coronavirus crisis.

(Editor’s note: This will continue to be updated as events unfold with the latest info in chronological from top to bottom.)

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Wednesday, March 18

Cage Warriors 113 card reshuffled – again!

Travel restrictions in Europe have forced three key fights off Friday night’s Cage Warriors 113 card.

The new main event features the UFC middleweight bout between [autotag]Bartosz Fabinski[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC) and [autotag]Darren Stewart[/autotag] (11-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC), with support provided in the co-main slot by the Cage Warriors lightweight title fight between [autotag]Mason Jones[/autotag] (8-0) and [autotag]Joe McColgan[/autotag] (6-2-1).

It’s just the latest set of changes in a turbulent week for the Cage Warriors team, who moved the entire event from London to Manchester on Tuesday after arena operator AEG closed down indigo at The O2 in the English capital.

Michael Bisping’s advice to panic buyers: Get a (expletive) grip!

UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Michael Bisping[/autotag] has never been one to mince his words, and his latest Instagram post is no different, as he shares an image showing the difference between World War II ration queues and panic-buying shoppers fighting over rolls of toilet paper during the 2020 coronavirus crisis.

Offering some perspective, Bisping took to social media to issue something of a public service announcement to his followers (via Instagram).

Get some self respect please. Respect this virus, of course. Employ social distancing, wash hands and remain 6 feet away from one another. The ladies at the top would of had they’re loved ones at war, cities being destroyed, millions of lives lost and still handled themselves with class. The embarrassments at the bottom are literally fighting over unnecessary toilet rolls and hand sanitizers. Get A (expletive) Grip!

Tuesday, March 17

Cage Warriors swaps London for Manchester

It looks like U.K.-based promotion Cage Warriors could have the only live MMA show in the world this weekend, and they remain determined to ensure Friday’s Cage Warriors 113 event goes ahead.

We’ve already seen fight card changes, with fighter replacements and even the addition of UFC fighters to the card. But news that arena operator AEG had closed the venue for Friday’s event, indigo at The O2, prompted more fears that the event would also be canceled.

But, less than hour after that announcement, Cage Warriors president Graham Boylan had secured the use of Manchester’s BEC Arena as the promotion gets set to move 220 miles north to keep the show alive.

Check out the full story here.

Khabib Nurmagomedov: I’ll fight Tony Ferguson anywhere, so long as we’re healthy

In an Instagram live chat along with manager Ali Abdelaziz, UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] made it clear that he values everyone’s health and safety.

But he made just as clear that if he and Tony Ferguson are both healthy, then he will fight Ferguson wherever the UFC could get cleared to put on UFC 249 on April 18, and put it behind closed doors.

“People who have quarantine and sit home, they have fun, they watch fights,” Nurmagomedov said. “Fighters go to the arena, they have fun, they do their job. I think we just need maximum 100 people to make this fight. One arena and 100 healthy people around and put a couple cameras and show this around the world – the two best lightweights of all time. This is a very important fight.”

Randa Markos wonders if she has coronavirus

UFC strawweight Randa Markos returned home to Canada on Wednesday feeling ill. Markos lost a unanimous decision to Amanda Ribas Saturday at UFC on ESPN+ 28, in Brasilia, Brazil. Now she is concerned about whether she has contracted the virus after testers declined to test her upon her return from South America (via Twitter).

The event was closed to fans after the local government put a moratorium on all mass gatherings due to the pandemic. Fighters on the card were not tested for COVID-19.

The Canadian federal government is requiring all who return to the country from international travel to quarantine for 14 days.

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Leon Edwards ‘devastated’ Tyron Woodley fight got canceled, wants fight rebooked

Leon Edwards is glad he didn’t fly to the U.S. for a fight that got canceled, but he’s otherwise bummed out on his missed opportunity.

Coronavirus didn’t hit at a good time for anyone, but it was particularly bad timing for [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag].

The UFC welterweight contender was gearing up for the biggest fight of his MMA career, as he was scheduled to take on former champion Tyron Woodley in the headlining act of UFC London.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic denied Edwards (18-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) the opportunity to pick up the biggest win of his career.

The UFC was forced to cancel Saturday’s planned event, but not before trying to salvage the bout by moving it to the U.S. after the U.K. banned all public gatherings.

Although the UFC tried to get Edwards into the U.S., it just simply wasn’t an option for the British fighter since Europe faced travel bans from U.S. efforts to slow down the spread of COVID-19.

“I talked to my coaches, what they think about it, what should I do, and everyone is like, ‘It just wasn’t possible to do,'” Edwards told ESPN on Tuesday. “I had three or four hours to get to the airport, get to London. There was just too much going on, we didn’t even know were we were going.

“No guarantee I could go back to the U.K. because the reason I had to leave on Sunday was because on Monday the ban was coming in, so we had to leave Sunday – that was the rush – in like two or four hours. It was impossible.”

Looking back, Edwards is glad he didn’t fly to the U.S. to try to keep his bout with Woodley alive, as the UFC went on to cancel the card due to similar public restrictions issued by governing bodies across the U.S.

“On Monday, we find out the whole card has been canceled, plus another two events,” Edwards said. “So imagine if I would’ve gone to the States, now I would’ve been stuck in the States. I would’ve dragged my coaches away from their family, and we would’ve been stuck somewhere in the states, and we would’ve not been able to get back, so it is what it is: God’s plan.”

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Although Edwards is happy he dodged a bullet by staying in the U.K., he still feels upset at losing the Woodley bout in the meantime. It was a date he was looking forward to making.

“This is one the biggest fights of my career; I’ve been dreaming of headlining in my hometown, in my home country, since the start of MMA,” Edwards said. “So to get an opportunity to headline London and to have it taken away from me, I was devastated all day Sunday, yesterday. I was devastated. I’ve worked for 10 weeks, I spent a lot of money in camp. I was fit, I was ready, I was focused, and I was ready to go. To have it taken away from me last minute – I just had to do the weight cut – and have it taken away from me, I was just devastated.”

Woodley has shown interest in taking other fights now that UFC London is canceled, especially with longtime rival Colby Covington – who’s also itching to fight.

Edwards is not concerned of losing the Woodley matchup and sees Woodley’s interest to move on from their bout as a sign of avoiding the fight.

“At the end of the day, he didn’t want to fight me,” Edwards said. “He’s made every excuse in the book to not want to fight me. He knows what’s going to happen, you know what I mean? As soon as he got the opportunity to run, he ran straight away.

“This fight is not going nowhere. Hopefully it gets rescheduled. Hopefully again back in London, in my home country, so I can show the world that I am the best in the world.”

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With Tyron Woodley diverting his attention to Colby Covington, Leon Edwards fires back

With Tyron Woodley now only interested in fighting Colby Covington, Leon Edwards fires back.

[autotag]Tyron Woodley[/autotag] isn’t about to let [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] off the hook.

After Woodley’s fight with [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] fell through for this Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 29 main event, Covington offered to step in, but the entire event wound up canceled.

Now Woodley (19-4-1 MMA, 9-3-1 UFC) says he is no longer interested in Edwards (18-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC); he wants Covington next. The two share history, having trained at American Top Team in the past, and have been trading barbs for a while now.

So with Covington (15-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) back on his radar, Woodley is dead set on facing him.

“Fans I’m sorry😔! I’m shattered by this! I texted @danawhite and told him I’m in for Burns sat (Sat ONLY). I then was told the card was off. We will make it through this together. Don’t take it lightly. When we are back and running its me and Clout Chasing Covington. Don’t want to hear another name! #TalkIsOver
Thanks all my supporters.”

View this post on Instagram

#repost from @arielhelwani Fans I'm sorry😔! I'm shattered by this! I texted @danawhite and told him I'm in for Burns sat (Sat ONLY). I then was told the card was off. We will make it through this together. Don't take it lightly. When we are back and running its me and Clout Chasing Covington. Don't want to hear another name! #TalkIsOver Thanks all my supporters. @mommawoodd @missionusa #SteveWoodley @phokingqui @metabolicmeals @cbdmd.usa @monsterenergy @dinthomas @coachdukeroufus @ericbrown1954 @edbilbasoo @dfunk59 @syrius2 @iammilliereid @americantopteam @roufusport @mike_swick @akathailand @adamweitsman @championmuhsin @fasthandsproductions @dr_sschu @illwavybrooks86 @jucao21 #DrewFromTheLou #Dillion @attatl and all other partners!

A post shared by Tyron Woodley (@twooodley) on

However Edwards, who may have lost out more than anyone this week after missing out on a chance to headline an event in his home country against a former champion, isn’t about to sit back and let this fight slip away.

“This fight going to happen after we get back to normal programming don’t try run now kid, fuck Covington the weasel.”

Edwards has won his last eight in a row, with his last loss coming to current UFC welterweight champ, Kamaru Usman in 2015.

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Tyron Woodley vs. Leon Edwards canceled amid UFC on ESPN+ 29 revamp

While there is no update pertaining to whether or not the card will still happen, it won’t have its original main event.

UFC on ESPN+ 29 was supposed to take place Saturday in London, but wasn’t permitted to happen due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus outbreak. The United Kingdom disallowed large gatherings, so the UFC announced it would move the card Stateside.

And while there is no update pertaining to whether or not the card still will happen, it won’t have its original main event. [autotag]Tyron Woodley[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] won’t be happening after all – at least not Saturday.

Sunday, Edwards (18-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) announced his fight with Woodley (19-4-1 MMA, 9-3-1 UFC) was off the card. He called the cancellation “truly heartbreaking.” ESPN was first to announce the cancellation.

Numerous other fighters have announced cancellations and potential re-bookings.

Woodley most recently competed at UFC 235 in March 2019, when he dropped the 170-pound title to Kamaru Usman. The defeat ended a reign of four successful defenses for “The Chosen One,” who has been holding out for a big fight since then.

Despite claiming he wouldn’t go overseas to fight, Woodley agreed to fight Edwards, who is currently riding an eight-fight winning streak dating back to a unanimous decision loss of his own to Usman in December 2015.

After beating Rafael dos Anjos at UFC on ESPN 4 this past June, the Brit would’ve attempted to take out his second former UFC champ in a row when he was supposed to meet Woodley on home soil.

Check out Edwards’ post below:

View this post on Instagram

Last night I went to sleep still with some hope that UFC London would continue next week.  I woke up this morning to the news that it won't be.  We have been working with the UFC on possible solutions to keep the fight alive, but unfortunately with such a short window of time, nothing was viable.  Myself and my team are all fathers, husbands, sons and brothers, and not all of us can leave our families right now.  I wish we could have found a way for the fans, I truly do. I have been dreaming of headlining a UFC show in my home country since I started this sport.  This cancellation is truly heartbreaking.  I have never worked harder and never been more prepared for the biggest moment in my career.  But I know that the whole world is hurting right now and this is bigger than me, this is bigger than sports.  All I can hope for is  that all of you stay safe and look after each other as we get past this and move forward. I am humbled by the thousands of messages of support I have received in the hours since the announcement, I truly appreciate you all and feel a lot of love right now.  I look forward to this event being rebooked when it is safe to do so, so Tyron and I can put on the show that you all deserve. Please take care, we will all get through is. Rocky

A post shared by Leon "Rocky" Edwards (@leon_edwardsmma) on

UFC on ESPN+ 29 was scheduled to take place Saturday at The O2 in London. The card was expected to stream on ESPN+. The UFC is hoping to salvage it somehow, but no definitive plans have been announced.

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Jorge Masvidal: If Leon Edwards beats Tyron Woodley, we’re definitely going to fight

Leon Edwards may finally be on Jorge Masvidal’s radar – if he wins his next fight.

[autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] may finally be on [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag]’s radar – if he wins his next fight.

Edwards headlines March’s UFC on ESPN+ 29 in London, when he takes on former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, looking to notch his ninth win in a row.

Masvidal (35-13 MMA, 11-4 UFC) on the other hand, has a few options ahead, but all signs are pointing to a UFC welterweight title shot against champion Kamaru Usman during “International Fight Week.”

Both fighters share history, engaging in a backstage altercation in London in 2019, where Masvidal delivered his infamous “three piece and a soda” following a fight card where they were both victorious.

Edwards (18-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC), who claimed that Masvidal turned him down before, was never given the opportunity to settle things, but it appears that for the first time, Masvidal is willing to face him.

“If Leon wins the fight, it’s going to happen,” Masvidal told “Submission Radio.” “Me and him are going to definitely fight, because now he’s a very strong candidate for the fight.”

He won’t be targeting Woodley though, who Masvidal considers a good friend, and shares the same management.

Unless it’s for the title.

“In the case of Woodley, if I had to pick a guy I wouldn’t fight, it would be him,” Masvidal said. “That’s not a guy that I want to fight. But if we’re going fight, if we’re both in position for the belt, yeah, we’ll do it, and there’d be no heat about it. Afterwards, we’d go hang out, eat food, talk (expletive). Me and Woodley have a really good relationship and we see things really similar. It’s just business. It’s nothing personal.”

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UFC on ESPN+ 29 poster features welterweight contenders with revenge on their minds

Tyron Woodley and Leon Edwards feature on the fight poster for UFC on ESPN+ 29 with a possible title shot awaiting the winner.

The official fight poster for UFC on ESPN+ 29 has been released, and it features two welterweight contenders who don’t get on, yet have one very important thing in common.

The main event clash in London on March 21 sees former UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Tyron Woodley[/autotag] take on surging British contender [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] in a bout that could position the winner for a shot at the UFC’s 170-pound title currently held by Kamaru Usman.

If the social media back-and-forth between the pair in recent weeks is anything to go by, they don’t seem to get along too well, especially since Edwards started poking fun at Woodley’s rap career.

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But though they clearly have different tastes when it comes to hip hop, they do have one thing in common: Both men have fallen to defeat against Usman in their careers, and both are particularly keen to get back into the cage with the reigning champion to avenge their defeats and walk away with the title.

Woodley (19-4-1 MMA, 9-3-1 UFC)  is making his return to the cage for the first time since Usman defeated him by unanimous decision to capture the title at UFC 235 in March 2019. Edwards (18-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) last tasted defeat against Usman five years ago when both men were emerging prospects in the UFC’s 170-pound weight class.

Now Woodley and Edwards will face off at The O2 in England with a potential shot at a title awaiting the winner. The question is, who will get the big win in “The Big Smoke?”

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The UFC on ESPN+ 29 fight card includes:

MAIN CARD

  • Leon Edwards vs. Tyron Woodley
  • John Phillips vs. Dusko Todorovic
  • Darren Stewart vs. Marvin Vettori
  • Tom Aspinall vs. Raphael Pessoa
  • Ashlee Evans-Smith vs. Molly McCann

PRELIMINARY CARD

  • Paul Craig vs. Ryan Spann
  • Gabriel Benitez vs. Lerone Murphy
  • Nicolas Dalby vs. Danny Roberts
  • Marc Diakiese vs. Jai Herbert
  • Geraldo de Freitas vs. Jack Shore
  • Makwan Amirkhani vs. Mike Grundy
  • Kevin Holland vs. Jack Marshman

Leon Edwards targets Tyron Woodley’s ego, then ‘perfect revenge’ against Kamaru Usman

Leon Edwards says he’ll earn a UFC title shot with a win over Tyron Woodley, then gain revenge over the last man to beat him, Kamaru Usman.

LONDON – Welterweight contender [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] is getting main event shine for the second time in his career, but his appearance at UFC on ESPN+ 29 will be special as he’s set for action on home soil.

Edwards (18-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) will take on former UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Tyron Woodley[/autotag], who will make his first appearance since losing his title to [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] over a year ago. Despite a disappointing display from “The Chosen One” that night, Edwards expects to see Woodley (19-4-1 MMA, 9-3-1 UFC) back to his best for their clash March 14 at The O2.

“I’m prepping for the one that beat Robbie Lawler,” Edwards told MMA Junkie on Thursday. “I want that Tyron. I want the best version of himself. I believe I am No. 1, so I believe I will beat him, even on his best day. So that’s the one I’m prepping for in my camp, and that’s the one I’m aiming to fight. I will be world champion, and he’s just another guy that’s in my way, and another guy to get an ass whipping.”

Edwards has been prepping for the fight at his usual home at Team Renegade in Birmingham, England, where he shares the mats with a host of talented U.K. fighters, including his brother, Bellator middleweight Fabian Edwards, and UFC middleweight Tom Breese. But it was another of Leon’s teammates who gave the gym an additional boost when news broke that Jai Herbert had been drafted in to replace the injured Stevie Ray and would make his UFC debut on the same card in London.

“To have my teammate join me on the card, as well, it’s amazing,” Edwards said. “He was the lightweight champion for Cage Warriors, (and) he’s taking on Marc Diakiese. That’s another big fight for the gym. We’ve got Tom Breese, as well. He’s fighting in February, so the gym is buzzing. This is January, right, so the gym is busy, and all the fighters are in, preparing for fights. It’s a great environment in Birmingham for martial arts and for the fighters.”

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Edwards has made his way up the welterweight rankings the old-fashioned way – by winning fights – and says he stands on the cusp of a shot at the welterweight title. According to “Rocky,” victory over Woodley should do it.

“I believe after this fight I will fight for the world title after beating Woodley,” he said. “It’s a big fight for me. He’s considered one of the best of all time, and to go out there, to perform and beat him like I want to beat him, that’s going to put my name right in the hat to be a world champion, and I will fight for the world title this year.”

That could potentially put him in line to face the last man to defeat him. Kamaru Usman outpointed Edwards at UFC on FOX 17 in December 2015, but Edwards hasn’t lost since and says that he would love nothing more than to face Usman for the title after defeating Woodley.

“It’s like the perfect revenge, right? He’s the last guy to beat me, four or five years ago. To go out there and to defeat him for the world title, and to get that win back, that’s like the perfect scenario for me,” Edwards said. “For him to still hold the world title this summer or later this year, and to defeat him, that’s the perfect dream for me, and I believe it will happen. This Leon would kill that Leon from back then, so I am looking forward to going out there, getting my revenge and securing the world title”

Another man Edwards has his sights on is the other big player at the sharp end of the welterweight division, Jorge Masvidal. The Brit found himself the unwitting recipient of the now-infamous “three piece and a soda” backstage in London last year and says that, at some point in his journey, he wants to face “Gamebred” again.

“Cage or no cage, me getting my hands on him is my main goal,” Edwards said as he laughed. “I know they’re mentioning putting Masvidal in for the title in March. Both fights have got a story behind it, right? Usman’s the last guy to beat me, Masvidal (because of) what happened in London, so they’ve both got a great selling point for a big fight on a big pay-per-view. Either way, each fight is big money.”

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There’s a sellable angle to Edwards’ upcoming bout with Woodley, too, thanks to Edwards’ decision to poke fun at Woodley’s rapping skills. His social media jabs weren’t well received by the former champion, as Edwards explained.

“He blocked me on Instagram!” Edwards said. “He went in my DMs and called me names and said he’d knock me out and (expletive). Then he blocked me! For me, it’s all banter. I’m having fun with it. It’s weird, right? You talk about his fighting career, and he doesn’t get angry. But you talk about his rap music, he goes mad! But his music is shit, right? He’t not a very good rapper. It’s funny.”

Edwards is even considering delivering a final dig to Woodley’s ego just moments before they fight by walking out to one of his opponent’s rap tracks.

“I’m thinking about it,” Edwards said. “If I do it, I’ll probably mix it in with another song, so it’ll probably start with his song, then put my one on. I don’t think I can listen to that all the way to the octagon – his music is crap. I’ll probably put some headphones on if I do it, but it’d be funny if I did do it.”

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Dan Hardy: Leon Edwards motivated and dangerous ahead of UFC on ESPN+ 29 main event

Analyst and former title challenger Dan Hardy talks to MMA Junkie about Leon Edwards’ main event bout with Tyron Woodley at UFC London.

[autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] will head into his main event battle with [autotag]Tyron Woodley[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN+ 29 in London with a ton of motivation and a lot to gain, according to UFC analyst and former welterweight title challenger Dan Hardy.

Hardy talked to MMA Junkie backstage at the official weigh-ins for UFC 246 in Las Vegas earlier this month and gave his quick-fire take on the main event matchup set for March 21 at The O2. He said he thinks the time is perfect for Edwards (18-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) to step up and show the world just how good he is against former welterweight champion Woodley (19-4-1 MMA, 9-3-1 UFC) in a five-round main event on home soil.

Hardy said the winner will deserve a title shot in his next matchup.

“Absolutely – I don’t see how not, especially if it’s Leon, because he’s been poised for this opportunity for a long time,” Hardy said.

Edwards is riding an eight-fight winning streak. His most recent three outings saw him claim decision victories over Donald Cerrone, Gunnar Nelson and former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos. Woodley will be making his first in-cage appearance since he lost the welterweight title to Kamaru Usman at UFC 235 in March 2019.

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The pair have been going back and forth on social media, with Edwards appearing to get under Woodley’s skin when he mocked the former champ’s rapping skills. Hardy said the niggling exchanges on social media only serve to add another layer of interest to an already intriguing matchup.

“I think the timing’s right because at this point, they’re both annoyed – there’s needle between the two of them,” he said. “So I just think it’s going to add a bit of spice and a bit of flavor to the fight. I think it’s going to allow Leon to come out of his shell a little bit more and for the fans to see the kind of person and the kind of fighter he really is. He’s not reached his potential yet, and I think this could be the fight that would help him to do that.”

Woodley’s mission is clear: Head into enemy territory, snap Edwards’ winning streak and catapult himself right back into title contention. He also has a history of halting the charge of surging Brits, Hardy said.

“Tyron Woodley’s a very dangerous fighter,” Hardy said. “He’s got that piston of a right hand. He’s got a hell of a wrestling game. We saw him run through Darren Till.”

That result may serve as a warning to Edwards, but Hardy also said the Birmingham man may view it as additional motivation. Both Till and Edwards were battling for top billing when the UFC came to London in March 2019. In the end, it was Till who landed the headline slot against Jorge Masvidal, while Edwards had to content himself with a co-main event bout against Icelandic grappler Nelson.

Edwards achieved the better result of the two Brits that night, and Hardy said the opportunity for “Rocky” to succeed where Till failed against Woodley may serve as additional motivation ahead of the UFC’s return to England.

“I think there’s an advantage for Leon to get this win over Tyron because Darren Till didn’t – because there’s been that animosity between him and Till before,” he said. “I just think there’s a lot to be gained for this for Leon, and I think that’s a motivating factor for him. Leon motivated is dangerous, and I’m excited for him.”

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