Leon Edwards challenges Darren Till, rips Jorge Masvidal for attempting to get fight

Rising UFC welterweight contender Leon Edwards his hoping to fight his fellow Brit Darren Till in the main event of the UFC’s March 16 return to London, England.

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“I think that the best fight for London is obviously me and Darren Till, but for some reason either him or the UFC don’t want to make it happen,” Edwards told Eurobash (transcript via MMA Fighting). “I think that is 100 percent the best fight for the U.K. fans.

“I’ve been calling for this fight since last March when I last fought in London and I’ve been calling him out ever since. I’ve mentioned it to the UFC as well through my management, they’ve been working on it too and trying to make the fight, but for some reason he doesn’t want it. He claims to be one of the best welterweights in the U.K., I know I’m the best welterweight in the U.K.

“I feel like that should be sorted out in London in the main event.”

While Leon Edwards feels a fight with Darren Till makes all the sense in the world, it’s now looking like Till could fight Jorge Masvidal in the UFC London main event instead. Masvidal recently offered to fight Till on the card, and Till seemed quite receptive to the idea.

Given that he’s previously called out both fighters to no avail, Edwards isn’t thrilled about this possibility.

“It’s ridiculous because I’ve been calling both of them out for quite awhile now,” he said. “First of all, Masvidal said he wouldn’t come to the U.K. and now I’m seeing this sh*t today about him and Darren. At this stage it’s just bullying, I’m trying to bully and force these guys into fighting me. I’ll say it again, the best fight for the U.K. is me versus Darren. Masvidal doesn’t even matter in the U.K., nobody even knows him there.”

Edwards added that he thinks Darren Till considers Masvidal is an easier, more favorable matchup — hence his preference for the matchup.

“I think he thinks he matches up better stylistically with Masvidal,” Edwards said. “Coming off a loss he wants to get a win. If a man was calling me out, he was saying ‘Let’s go’ and it made sense, I would do it. I can’t tell you what’s in his head or what he’s thinking, but as I said, I’m ready for that fight. I’m training towards that fight, but if I don’t get it I will take a fight against someone else who’s going to push me towards the title.

“Masvidal is on a two-fight losing streak,” he continued. “He’s been doing that f*ckin’ TV show and all sorts!”

Who do you want to see Leon Edwards fight next?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 1/15/2019.