Leon Edwards on potential Tyron Woodley bout: ‘He says he’ll fight, but not in London’

According to Leon Edwards, Tyron Woodley is the only reason that their clash has not already been confirmed as the headline bout for UFC London on March 21.

Edwards is keen to face an opponent that will catapult him into a title shot and feels as though a win over former champion Woodley would make him undeniable in terms of the UFC’s welterweight title stakes.

Speaking on the latest episode of Eurobash, Edwards insisted that the UFC is keen to make the fight happen.

“The UFC wants it, I want it…we’re just waiting for [Tyron] Woodley now really,” Edwards told MMA Fighting’s Eurobash podcast.

“I’m ready to go. I think that’s the fight that makes the most cents. Everyone else has been matched or has just fought so I think me and Woodley, the former world champion, would be the next step to make. We’re pushing for it…hopefully it should get done.”

“What will they say when I go and beat a former world champion?” Edwards added. “What will they say then because every time I get a win they make a new excuse. Let’s see what they say after I go out there and beat someone like Tyron Woodley. I’m ready to go, I deserved that title shot two or three fights ago. I’m just gonna keep doing my thing, keep winning. I’ll be taking a very close look at the welterweight title fight this week and I’ll go from there.”

Although Edwards can feel fans getting behind him in terms of him headlining the UFC London card, he understands that Woodley is not interested in fighting him on U.K. soil, but would be open to fighting him somewhere else.

Woodley took to social media to underline his lack of interest in fighting in London on the same day that Edwards appeared on Eurobash.

“I feel like the fans are pushing for this now. Now, they’re getting what I’ve been saying for years, that I’m the best fighter in the U.K. I’m proving it every fight. I can see that they’re pushing to see that Woodley fight in the London main event and I think that’s the fight that makes sense,” he said.

“I’m hoping he takes it, but from what I’m hearing he won’t come to London. He says he’ll fight, but not in London. That makes no sense. We’re in negotiations now and hopefully I’ll know this week. I’m meeting with the UFC, so I’ll have more information about that and what’s going on. What I’m hearing is he doesn’t want to come to London, so we’re trying to force him to come to London.”

“Rocky” believes that his undefeated run on home soil is a factor that is unnerving Woodley:

“I’ve never lost a fight in the U.K., from amateur to pro. He’s probably looking at that thinking, ‘I don’t want to go over there and get beat,’ because where does he go [from there]? Like I said, he’s making excuses from the jump.”

Speaking further on UFC London, Edwards agreed with Londoner Nathaniel Wood who believes that the current crop of U.K. fighters are the “golden era” of charges from the region.

“If you look at the talent now that’s coming out of the U.K, we’re well rounded. We can wrestle; we can do it all. Back in the day, it was Brazil, but I feel like now it’s the U.K.’s time. I’m very proud of my countrymen and women and what they’re achieving.”

Leon Edwards appeared on the latest episode of Eurobash at 20:00.