Leon Edwards in line for UFC welterweight title shot with big win this weekend, says Dana White

UFC president Dana White said that welterweight contender Leon Edwards will be in line for a 170lbs title shot with a big win this weekend.

Edwards returns to the Octagon for the first time since July 2019 this Saturday night when he meets Belal Muhammad in the main event of UFC Vegas 21. The Brit has a 10-2 overall record and is currently riding an eight-fight win streak as he closes in on the top of the UFC welterweight division. According to White, if Edwards goes out there and defeats Muhammad in an impressive fashion, he will be next in line for a welterweight title shot.

“100 percent,” White said to BT Sport’s Caroline Pearce about Edwards getting a title shot.

The only problem that Edwards might find is that, while he might be in line for a title shot, he may have to let Jorge Masvidal get his rematch with UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman first. Though White wouldn’t confirm that Masvidal and Usman would be TUF coaches, he did suggest that was the promotion’s plan. That would mean Edwards would be in line to fight the winner of Usman vs. Masvidal for the belt unless the UFC did a complete 180 and decided to go with Edwards for the TUF coaching gig over Masvidal.

As for Muhammad stepping up on short notice to take on the top-five ranked Edwards, White praised him for stepping up and taking the fight against “Rocky.”

“(Muhammad) had just come out of a great fight and that guy feels like he should be fighting people higher in the good chain and this opportunity popped up and he took it, you know? That’s it. I love guys that step up and take opportunities. I love guys that fight back-to-back when they just had a good showing. Guys who stay active and keep their name out there. It couldn’t have turned out better,” White said of Edwards vs. Muhammad being the new main event after Khamzat Chimaev fell off the card due to COVID-19.

Do you think Leon Edwards will get the title shot with a win over Belal Muhammad?