Leon Edwards ‘Well within reach’ of welterweight GOAT status according to UFC play-By-Play man Jon Anik

Leon Edwards couldn’t ask for a better start to his welterweight title reign.

Since claiming the 170-pound crown with “the kick heard around the world” at UFC 278, ‘Rocky’ has scored back-to-back wins against Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, two of the most dangerous men in the division’s illustrious history. Next on the docket for Edwards appears to be a rematch No. 2 ranked contender, Belal Muhammad.

The pair previously matched up in 2021, but the bout was cut short after an accidental eye poke from Edwards rendered ‘Remember the Name’ unable to continue. Neither the UFC nor Edwards himself appears overly thrilled with the idea of putting Muhammad into the title picture, but play-by-play man Jon Anik believes the bout will play a pivotal role in building the Brit’s legacy as the welterweight division’s greatest of all time.

“I’m not necessarily surprised,” Anik said in an interview with Bodog Canada. “It’s not Leon Edwards’ job as undisputed UFC welterweight champion to lay the foundation for his next title defense. Certainly, if his aspiration is to go down as the greatest welterweight champion of all time — and by the way that is well within reach when you just beat Kamaru Usman twice and then Colby Covington. If that’s the goal, he should want to take out and beat all of these guys.

“I think you need to marry the financial goals with the career-aspirational goals,” he continued. “I mean, he’s a Hall of Famer first ballot, but to go down potentially as the greatest welterweight of all time, if Belal Muhammad is indeed easy work, I think that fight makes a lot of sense” (h/t MMA Mania).

Unbeaten in his last 10 outings, Muhammad has made a very strong case for receiving his first title shot. Despite that, the promotion has remained reluctant in dubbing him as the next man in line. Last stepping inside the Octagon in May 2023, ‘Bully B’ scored a decisive decision victory over one-time title challenger Gilbert Burns.

If Belal Muhammad is not next for Leon Edwards, then who?

Aside from Muhammad, the next best option is undefeated sensation Shavkat Rakhmonov who delivered a show-stealing performance against Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson at the promotion’s final pay-per-view event of the year.

Unfortunately, ‘Nomad’ is currently nursing an ankle injury leaving only one other option in Anik’s eyes.

“Khamzat Chimaev is the only man who can lay claim to a Welterweight title shot right now, as far as I’m concerned, other than Belal Muhammad, and he’s not competing at the weight class,” Anik said. “Belal has one of these unbeaten streaks like all of the champions do, and he doesn’t get any pound-for-pound consideration. I just think we have to restore a little bit of order, and I do think the UFC is going to make the right decision here.”