Leon Edwards explains why Nick Diaz matchup makes sense

By Tom Taylor - September 8, 2020

Leon Edwards believes he should be given the task of welcoming former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz back to the Octagon.

Leon Edwards, UFC London

Edwards is on an impressive eight-fight win-streak and currently holds the No. 3 spot in the UFC welterweight rankings. Unfortunately, he’s currently without a dance partner, as everyone else in the division’s top-5 is occupied with other challenges.

Enter Nick Diaz.

Earlier this week, news surfaced that Diaz is plotting a comeback in 2021, and Edwards believes he’s just the man to welcome the fan favorite back to the cage.

“That fight looks fantastic,” Edwards said of a potential Diaz matchup on Submission Radio. “He’s a big name in the sport, he’s been around for a long time, so that fight would be fantastic. It would be better for him [to fight me].

“If you come and beat me, a guy on an eight-fight win streak, that would put me in line for a title shot, right? So, I think it would be a great fight,” Edwards continued. “And to come and beat like the new guy, which is me, the up and coming guy that’s dominating everyone, beating everyone, and for him to come back and challenge me—he’ll never beat me—but it’s a good fight, interesting fight. And that fight, I one hundred percent want it, I want to compete against Diaz.”

While Nick Diaz is a big name in MMA, Leon Edwards doesn’t view the Stockton, California native as a particularly difficult challenge.

“I think Nick is Nick, right? Him and his brother [Nate] are pretty much the same,” Edwards said. “Technically, they’re pretty much the same kind of fighters; boxing-based, Jiu Jitsu-based, cardio-based, and they kind of fight the same. So, I think Nick is Nick, and he’d come out the same. There won’t be nothing new, it’ll be the same way of the fight, and that’s just the way their bodies are designed to fight and where they compete. I know if me and him compete, I know I’ll win, and that’s the main thing.”

Does a fight between Leon Edwards and Nick Diaz interest you?


Topics:

Leon Edwards Leonardo Santos Nick Diaz UFC