Leon Edwards' Ambitious Pursuit: Eyes Two-Division Domination Post-Covington Clash

In the realm of UFC's welterweight division, Leon Edwards is aiming beyond the boundaries of a single weight class. With his sights set on seizing another title, Edwards eyes a potential move to middleweight after his upcoming showdown with Colby Covington in December.

As he gears up for UFC 296, defending his welterweight title for the second time, Edwards envisions a future that transcends the confines of 170 pounds. The British fighter, fresh from consecutive victories over Kamaru Usman, is eager to explore the uncharted territory of the middleweight division.

In a conversation with Sky Sports, Edwards expressed his keen interest in the upcoming clash between Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297, recognizing it as an alluring entry point to the middleweight landscape.

"100 percent, definitely," Edwards affirmed. "I feel especially with someone like [Sean] Strickland, and I think he’s fighting [Dricus] Du Plessis soon, so either of them two would be great to fight."

Considering his size and skill, Edwards sees himself as a formidable force in the middleweight category, aiming to etch his name in history as the first-ever UK fighter to hold titles in two UFC divisions.

While Strickland gears up to defend his middleweight crown on Jan. 20 in Toronto, Edwards is well aware of the challenges awaiting him in both divisions. Names like Khamzat Chimaev and Belal Muhammad loom large as potential rivals, with Muhammad having previously fought Edwards to a no-contest following an unfortunate eye-poke incident during their bout in 2021.

Despite the hurdles, Edwards remains undeterred in his pursuit of UFC glory. With the monumental UFC 300 event on the horizon in early 2024, Edwards harbors hopes of showcasing his dual-champion potential on such a historic stage.

"Next would be perfect, to be honest," Edwards asserted. "The division right now, there’s no one that’s exciting in the division so for me to go out there to do that, that would be perfect. UFC 300, I like that. To put me on that card would be massive. Let’s see."

Before venturing into the middleweight division, Edwards has a crucial obstacle to overcome in Covington on December 16. However, with victory in his sights, Edwards is poised to script a future that includes a shot at UFC middleweight gold, potentially marking a groundbreaking chapter in his already illustrious career.