Speaking to Sportsbook Review, Masvidal revealed that he wants to take on England’s Leon Edwards on his return to the UFC, and said that the matchup would give him the chance to prove that he’s better than the former welterweight champion.
Earlier this week the UFC announced its return to London for a UFC Fight Night event on March 22, and it appears Masvidal may already have that date circled on his calendar, with a bout against Edwards his targeted matchup.
“That’s the fight I want, I just want the chance to fight him,” he explained.
“Leon’s the number one guy I’m targeting. I’ve never been a guy to go after number 30. I’ve always chosen to fight the best guy around, which has probably not been the best approach, but f***, I love to fight.”
Masvidal and Edwards have never fought in the Octagon, but they have clashed outside it. After Masvidal knocked out Darren Till in the main event of UFC London back in 2019, he walked out of a post-fight backstage interview with Laura Sanko to clash with Edwards as he delivered his now-famous “three-piece and a soda” to the Birmingham native.
The pair seemed destined to meet inside the Octagon, but with Masvidal hitting a losing skid and Edwards reaching the top of the welterweight division, their paths never crossed in competition.
But now, with Edwards looking to bounce back after losing his title to Belal Muhammad at UFC 304 in Manchester, and with Masvidal keen to reboot his own career after taking more than a year away from the cage, a meeting between the pair appears to make much more sense for March 2025.
“Me and Leon have a little bit of history,” Masvidal explained.
“He’s a great competitor, but I know I’ve got his number. I know he can’t impose his wrestling on me, he’s not that level of wrestler. His striking is good but I’m better, I’m more durable. I know I can f**k this guy up.
“All he has to say is ‘I want to fight that motherf****r’ and it happens. I’m one of the top pay-per-view draws. I’m in the top three pay-per-view draws. Do you want to make this money or not?”
Another fight Masvidal had been linked with was a potential matchup with Conor McGregor. “Gamebred” admitted that’s a fight he’d love to see come to fruition, but he doesn’t think there’s any realistic chance of it happening.
“I’d love it, but I’m not waiting around for him,” he said.
“I respect what Chandler was doing, he did The Ultimate Fighter with him, he was protecting his bag, but I’m not about to do that. I’m not sitting around for nobody, especially not this drug addict.
“Let that guy live his f*****g life, but he isn’t fighting. I don’t see it in him. I see it in his eyes, he isn’t about the fight life anymore. I don’t see him fighting again, not with his current lifestyle.”
