EXCLUSIVE | Leon Edwards Backs ‘Clout Chaser’ Tyron Woodley To Beat Gilbert Burns

Welterweight contender Leon Edwards is backing his rival Tyron Woodley to return to the win column by beating Brazilian submission specialist Gilbert Burns in the UFC on ESPN 9 main event.

‘The Chosen One’ hasn’t fought since losing his welterweight belt to Kamaru Usman last year. He was supposed to face off against Edwards at UFC London in March before the event was cancelled a week out from fight night.

Instead Woodley will face Burns who is coming off a career-best knockout win over fellow submission specialist and long-time contender Demian Maia.

Speaking exclusively to LowKickMMA Edwards explained how the two fighters have similar styles and said he expects Woodley to emerge victorious from the bout.

“I think Woodley,” Edwards said. “I think they’re a similar build, (have) similar fighting styles – wrestlers looking for overhand shots. They both fight like short men, all overhands and lead hooks. So, I’ll probably go Woodley.”

Edwards and Woodley have been going back and forth on social media since their fight fell through. Earlier this week Woodley came after Edwards after watching the backstage altercation between ‘Rocky’ and Jorge Masvidal that went viral after UFC London in March 2019. ‘The Chosen One’ said Edwards took the biggest loss he’d seen in a while during the scuffle.  

Edwards took his opportunity to fire back at Woodley calling him the biggest “clout chaser” in MMA who is using his name to create drama on social media.

“He’s the biggest clout chaser there is,” Edwards said. “He’s weird. He’s a weird man. He’s like ‘everyone talks and I fight’ blah blah blah but he does the most talking on social media which is weird. Even this week he said ‘ahh I just seen the (Masvidal) video’. Like, no you didn’t. It’s like you had nothing to say about me. He wanted to make something up and try to keep carrying something on. Like, shut up you’re weird.”

Do you agree with Leon Edwards? Will Tyron Woodley beat Gilbert Burns in the UFC on ESPN 9 main event?