Leon Edwards’ head coach Dave Lovell feels unsure about the next contender for the UFC welterweight title, but he is introducing new names into the conversation alongside Belal Muhammad.
“Belal has earned his place, hasn’t he?” Labelle said in an interview:. “Even though he hasn’t done the same thing as Leon yet. He didn’t go through the hardships that Leon did. But you know what? He earned himself a competitive position. Honestly, If I really had a choice, I don’t think it’s possible, but I want Leon to fight. [Gilbert] Get burned. ”
But LaBelle admits Burns may need a few more wins before he is considered a title contender again. LaBelle has expressed a preference for Barnes over Muhammad and believes Barnes can bring more to the table, citing his past performance and skill set. Despite this preference, Lovell insists he’s ready to fight whoever the UFC recommends.
Edwards defended his UFC welterweight title for the second time following a dominant victory over Colby Covington at UFC 296. The undefeated 170-pounder has earned wins over notable fighters such as Kamaru Usman, Vicente Luque, Nate Diaz, Donald Cerrone, Gunnar Nelson and Rafael dos Anjos. LaBelle points out that his previous match with Muhammad ended in a no contest after he poked him in the eye.
Muhammad has won his past five fights and is on an impressive winning streak, but Burns has suffered a recent setback with a one-sided loss to Muhammad. Despite Burns’ recent performance, LaBelle maintains him as the first choice to be Edwards’ next challenger.
Despite UFC CEO Dana White not confirming Muhammad as his next title contender, LaBelle has said he is prepared for any outcome. He emphasizes the business aspect and doubts the possibility of a pay-per-view matchup between Edwards and Muhammad.
LaBelle noted that the UFC has reached out to Edwards’ team about a possible return fight at UFC 300 in April. Although he has not yet spoken with Edwards, LaBelle believes this schedule aligns well with the champion’s preparation following recent camps.
“There are rumors about that, but we’ll see what the boss does.” [Edwards] And if he wants to,” Lovell said. “He can take a little break over Christmas, but if he wants this pie in April, he can of course go back to the grindstone.”
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