Despite Leon Edwards’ efforts to remain on the Jan. 20 “Fight Island” card, the UFC had other plans.
Edwards (18-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC), who was scheduled to headline UFC Fight Night against Khamzat Chimaev, saw his fight scrapped once again after Chimaev was forced out due to health issues related to COVID-19.
It’s been well over a year since Edwards has last competed, which is why he was eager to remain on the card. He opted to face one of the night’s co-headliners, Michael Chiesa or Neil Magny, then rebook his fight with Chimaev, but Edwards said the UFC preferred to have him fight Chimaev at a later date.
“I offered to fight Neil or Chiesa in the main event Jan. 20 and Chimaev straight after, but the UFC decided against it,” Edwards commented on an Instagram post.
Edwards hasn’t competed since defeating former UFC champion Rafael dos Anjos in July 2019. He was scheduled to face former welterweight champ Tyron Woodley in London last March, but the U.K.’s coronavirus restrictions at the time forced the event to be canceled.
Edwards’ fight with Chimaev is projected to be rescheduled sometime in the first quarter of 2021.