Last night, amid the UFC’s thrilling return to London, England, rising British welterweight contender Leon Edwards picked up a last-second TKO win over Peter Sobotta. Shortly after this win, Edwards made a clever callout of Darren Till, who has been hunting for an opponent for the UFC’s upcoming debut in Liverpool.
Speaking to the media post-fight, Edwards elaborated on this callout of Till. Apparently, he’s not buying the hype that surrounds his fellow Brit.
“Like I said before: I’ve beaten top-ranked guys, guys better than Till fought on the come-up,” Edwards told the reporters on-scene in London (h/t MMA Junkie). “Somehow he leapfrogged me to get the [Donald] Cerrone fight. So it is what it is. I feel like I’m the No. 1 welterweight in the world. He thinks he’s the No. 1 welterweight in the world. So let’s prove it come May in Liverpool.”
Edwards also had some critiques of Till’s game, suggesting that the striking specialist is dangerous when he’s leading the dance, but not when he’s pressured.
“From what I’ve seen, Darren is good on his front foot. He’s only good when he’s coming forward. When you back him up he’s not as good. I’ve never seen him on his back, so I’ll test that out as well… There’s nothing that’s amazing to me when I watch Till. Everyone else thinks he’s the second coming of God, but I don’t.”
If Edwards doesn’t get Till, he’s prepared to fight another top welterweight stateside. Whatever the case, he feels his current streak has earned him a big name.
“Five-fight win-streak, there’s not many guys in the welterweight division who are on a five-fight win-streak,” Edwards said. “100 percent. If not Till, I’ll push for the July [7th] card; DC-Stipe in Vegas [at UFC 226]. Get a fight in the states.”
This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 3/18/2018.