Dana White updates on Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev bout: “I love that fight”

UFC President Dana White is still determined to book a fight between welterweight stars Leon Edwards and Khamzat Chimaev.

Edwards and Chimaev have been scheduled to fight twice now to no avail. The pair were first slated to collide on December 19 in Las Vegas, but the matchup fell through when Edwards was sidelined with COVID-19.

White and his team then rescheduled the pair to headline a card on January 20 on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. Unfortunately, Chimaev was ultimately forced to withdraw due to complications stemming from a previous COVID-19 infection. That card will now be headlined by a welterweight fight between Michael Chiesa and Neil Magny.

Despite two failed attempts to book this fight, White says it’s still one he’s hoping to make happen.

“That’s the fight to make,” White told ESPN recently (via Abhinav Kini). “I love that fight. They both already agreed to it, so we’ll get it figured out. We’ll turn that around as quick as we can. Just want to make sure both guys are healthy; both guys had COVID.”

White’s determination to make this fight is likely to generate mixed reactions. While some fans are excited about the fight, others feel its an undeserved step up in competition for Chimaev.

The surging prospect is just 3-0 in the UFC, with only one of those wins—a TKO over Rhys McKee, who is now 0-2 in the Octagon—occurring in the welterweight division.

Leon Edwards, on the other hand, is one of the best welterweights in the world, and currently holds the No. 3 spot in the division’s official rankings.

Do you still want Dana White to book a fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Leon Edwards? If so, which welterweight do you think will come out on top? Let us know your thoughts on the matchup in the comments section below.