Khamzat Chimaev doesn’t think Leon Edwards wants to ever fight him.

Edwards became the new welterweight champion at UFC 278 as he scored a fifth-round head kick KO over Kamaru Usman in a massive comeback win. Although it appears Edwards and Usman will have their trilogy match sometime next year, if Chimaev defeats Nate Diaz at UFC 279, he appears to be next in line but he doesn’t expect Edwards to want the fight.

“That was an amazing performance. He showed his heart, and last minute he knocked him out. I’m happy for him. He deserved that, e worked hard,” Chimaev said at UFC 279 media day. “(But) he doesn’t want to talk about me. I see somebody ask my name, and he just jumps over it and speak about (Nate) Diaz, speak about (Jorge) Masvidal, Usman. (The) guy doesn’t want to see my face.”

Although Chimaev doesn’t think Edwards wants to fight him, the two were booked three times. They were set to fight in December of 2020 but Edwards got COVID-19 and the bout was postponed to the following January. However, Chimaev then got COVID-19 and when they were booked for the third time in March, the Swede still hadn’t recovered from the virus and the fight was off for good.

If Edwards beats Usman in the trilogy and Khamzat Chimaev defeats Nate Diaz at UFC 279, then perhaps the fight will finally come to fruition even if the Swede has his doubts.

Khamzat Chimaev (11-0) beat Gilbert Burns by decision last time out at UFC 273 and he has been linked to a fight with Diaz for quite some time. The Swede is 5-0 in the UFC with wins over Li Jingliang, Gerald Meerschaert, Rhys McKee, and John Phillips.

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