Leon Edwards responds to Conor McGregor’s ‘Loves a decision’ barb, weighs in on UFC 303 uncertainty

UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards has hit back at Conor McGregor’s recent barbs about his tendency to fight the distance.

Edwards will face surging welterweight Belal Muhammad in the UFC 304 main event on July 27 in Manchester. The welterweight title fight headlines a stacked card in the UFC’s return to the UK, featuring a heavyweight co-headliner between Tom Aspinall and Curtis Blaydes.

McGregor, as of this writing, is scheduled to face Michael Chandler in the UFC 303 main event on June 29. But, the fight’s status is shaky after the planned press conference on Monday was canceled at the last minute.

McGregor has made plenty of headlines, for better and for worse, ahead of his planned UFC comeback. In a recent live stream Q+A, he weighed in on Edwards and the welterweight title picture, jabbing the champion as a fighter who “loves a decision”.

It didn’t take long for Edwards to respond to McGregor’s comments.

Leon Edwards answers Conor McGregor’s viral jab on title reign

https://youtu.be/GGbR7PuJlsM?si=D5iOjQ-ka1BQwyiR

In a recent sitdown interview with talkSPORT, Edwards responded to McGregor’s dismissal of his title reign.

“After he beats Chandler, if he beats Chandler [on June 29th], let’s fight for the welterweight strap in November at MSG,” Edwards answered McGregor. “So let’s see, we both have fights on our hands that we have to get through…there’s no point in entertaining a conversation with him, I want him to go out there, go out and perform and do what he says he’s going to do.”

Edwards was then asked to weigh in on the recent uncertainty regarding UFC 303 and McGregor’s return to the cage.

“I believe so, I can’t see why not,” Edwards opined. “I know he’s been partying, been doing that for how many years. I’d like to see him go out there and fight, he hasn’t for a little while. I actually want to see him fight as well and see, is he the same Conor? Or did the partying get to him? Is it too much now?”

McGregor hasn’t fought since a doctor’s stoppage loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. He has lost three of his last four fights overall, including back-to-back defeats to Poirier in 2021.

Edwards earned the welterweight title by head kick knockout over Kamaru Usman at UFC 278. Since then, he’s defeated Usman in an immediate rematch and outpointed Colby Covington last December.

Depending on how UFC 303 and UFC 304 play out, Edwards vs. McGregor could be firmly on the table for the matchmakers. It remains to be seen if it comes to fruition, but it seems like the welterweight champion is fully game.