'My goal now is to be the best ever' - Edwards

3 years ago 46

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Britain's Leon Edwards says his new goal is to become the greatest UFC fighter of all time after beating Kamaru Usman for the welterweight title.

The pair will rematch for the belt at UFC 286 at the O2 Arena in London on March 18.

"Becoming champion was driving me for so long," Edwards told BBC Sport.

"I've had to change my reasons for competing now and had to rethink 'what do you do now'?

"My goals now are to be the best of all time. I want to go out there and break GSP's (Georges St-Pierre) record for title defences."

Canada's St-Pierre holds the record for the most successive title defences in UFC welterweight history with nine.

Birmingham's Edwards, who was born in Jamaica but moved to the UK around the age of nine, is on an impressive 10-fight win streak himself, last losing to Usman during their first meeting in 2015.

Their trilogy fight in March will take place at the promotion's first numbered event in Britain since UFC 204 in 2016, when the nation's maiden UFC champion Michael Bisping defended his middleweight title against Dan Henderson.

The UFC's numbered shows are regarded as their flagship events, in comparison to their smaller 'Fight Night' spectacles.

Edwards says it will be a historic night for British MMA fans and will make up for the disappointment of his cancelled headlining bout against Tyron Woodley in London in 2020, because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"I'm excited, I think everything happened for a reason," said Edwards.

"I was meant to headline here with Woodley, now I've come around and it will be the biggest fight in history of the UFC in Europe.

"It's going to be great. I can't wait to feel the energy in the building, the fans are going to enjoy it."

Despite the magnitude of the occasion, Edwards admits he would have loved the show to take place at a stadium.

"I'm a little bit [disappointed]. I'd love for it to have happened back home in Birmingham, at Villa Park or something," he added.

"Or even Cardiff would have been good, but they [the UFC] said it was way too cold to have a stadium show at this time of year."

'I've embraced being a champion'

Edwards joined the UFC in 2014 and has 12 wins from 15 fights in the organisation.

He says since becoming champion fans from all over the world have recognised him more, whether that be his hometown or in the United States. He's embraces his popularity.

"This is the position I've been working towards for a long time now, so I'm learning to enjoy the process of it," said Edwards.

"It's taken a long time to get here so it's gradually grown over time - it wasn't an overnight success."

There was speculation on social media last month that Usman, 35, wouldn't be fit for the fight as he was nursing a hand injury.

However, it was never something Edwards worried about because, following a call with the UFC, the promotion assured his management that Usman was fit and ready to fight.

Edwards says he feels no extra pressure before the third bout, and knows what to expect from the former UFC pound-for-pound number one.

"If anything there's more pressure trying to get the belt from the road I took to get here. I know exactly what to do to keep it," he added.

"I can't see what he does differently apart from pushing more wrestling as that's his fight style, but I'm preparing for the best Usman there is.

"I know I can knock him out. I know I can take him down. I know once we hit the mat I'm better on top, so there's a lot I can take away from the fight [in August] and take to this next fight."

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