Looks like it’s back to square one for Leon Edwards.
That’s because Edwards, previously the No. 3 UFC welterweight, has been removed from the promotion’s official rankings.
On various UFC platforms Thursday, it appeared that Edwards’ name no longer was included on the 170-pound list. Edwards (18-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) later confirmed to MMA reporter Cole Shelton that he’s been removed because of inactivity.
Edwards, 29, hasn’t fought since July 20, 2019, when he won a unanimous decision against Rafael dos Anjos in the UFC on ESPN 4 headliner. The result pushed his winning streak to eight in a row dating back to May 2016, which includes the likes of Donald Cerrone, Vicente Luque and Gunnar Nelson.
Since the win over RDA, Edwards has struggled to find his next fight, believing he deserves a title shot, someone ranked ahead of him or a big fight to settle his feud with star Jorge Masvidal, but no takers have emerged. Edwards was called out by Stephen Thompson last month but stated publicly that he was not interested in fighting the former title challenger.
Earlier this week, UFC president Dana White was asked about Edwards’ status in an interview with BT Sport.
“I want to get Leon Edwards a fight, a good fight that means something,” White said. “We’re working on it.”
Edwards’ last defeat came in December 2015, losing a unanimous decision to current champion Kamaru Usman.
With Edwards’ removal from the UFC welterweight rankings, Belal Muhammad slides in at No. 15.
