SUMMARY
- Current UFC Welterweight Champion Leon Edwards is in the running to face UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev.
- Edwards might be a tougher opponent for Makhachev than any opponent Khabib Nurmagomedov has faced in his career.
Islam Makhachev has been the UFC Lightweight Champion since UFC 280. He defeated Charles Oliveira to win the title. Since then, he has defended the title twice against Alexander Volkanovski. Makhachev was offered to fight Leon Edwards at UFC 300 but the Russian fighter had to turn it down due to the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
However, Makhachev does not seem like he is avoiding any fights at this point. He has lined up several opponents at his convenience and he informed beforehand he would not fight at UFC 300 because of Ramadan. The lightweight champion called it his “dream fight” and hopes to take on Edwards someday. Unlike Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev is ready to take big risks as a champion.
🚨| Islam Makhachev has confirmed to @MMAJunkie that he was offered the #UFC300 main event against Leon Edwards but had to turn it down as he was observing Ramadan. pic.twitter.com/rdEbSRyda2
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) March 14, 2024
In the MMA world, the name Khabib Nurmagomedov is synonymous with dominance on the ground and unparalleled grappling prowess. Undefeated in his professional career, Khabib dominated his opponents with relentless pressure and a suffocating ground game.
However, a lot of questions are raised regarding Khabib’s opponents throughout his career. Before joining the UFC, Khabib was 16-0. He faced mostly Russian opponents and defeated them via submissions or decisions. After joining the UFC, Khabib’s first main card PPV fight came at UFC 219. That was the 25th fight of his career. In his next fight, he fought for the vacant lightweight title.
The remaining three fights of his career were against Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje. He won all three by submission and defended his title before retiring.
The questions about his opponent are relevant until the latter stage of his career. A major chunk of his 29 opponents were not of the highest levels. An opponent like Leon Edwards has never competed against Khabib.
Why would Leon Edwards stand out from the rest of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s opponents?
Leon Edwards is a formidable adversary, unlike any other, Khabib has encountered. Khabib’s decision to turn down a highly anticipated bout against Georges St-Pierre (GSP) at welterweight is the exact opposite of what Makhachev is trying to achieve.
GSP, a legend in MMA, expressed interest in facing Khabib at 170 pounds, a weight class where Khabib has never competed. Khabib’s reluctance to accept this challenge hints at a hesitance to confront larger opponents. Makhachev, on the other hand, is not trying anything of the sort. Instead, he wants to fight Edwards.
Edwards‘ performance against Kamaru Usman, the former UFC Welterweight Champion and a formidable wrestler, further cements his status as a formidable foe for Makhachev. In his first-ever fight against Usman in 2015, Edwards lost via a unanimous decision.
However, his growth was exemplary and he went on to defeat Usman twice in the space of months at UFC 278 and UFC 286. By that time, Usman had become one of the most dominating welterweight champions in the UFC.
Edwards showcased exceptional defensive wrestling skills. He thwarted numerous takedown attempts and demonstrated resilience against one of the best grapplers in the division. This ability to neutralize elite wrestling could pose significant problems for Makhachev. The Dagestani’s game plan heavily relies on imposing his grappling dominance.
Edwards’ well-rounded skill set, coupled with his size, defensive wrestling prowess, and striking ability, poses a significant threat to Makhachev. A threat Khabib was never ready to take when he was in the UFC.