Reportedly, the opponent and scheduled return date for the previous UFC Champion have been announced.
Reportedly, the opponent and scheduled return date for the previous UFC Champion have been announced.
Leon Edwards, former UFC welterweight champion and current top contender, appears set to make his comeback at UFC London on March 22. However, his opponent has remained a mystery.
According to Benny P, an insider in the Australian MMA scene, Edwards is expected to face no. 4 contender Jack Della Maddalena in a thrilling main event for the event. The Matchmaker confirmed this report on social media, though it should be noted that the fight is still just a rumor for now.
The UFC is aiming to deliver a big fight to headline the card in London, and having the hometown hero Edwards in action is a given. Pairing him with a high-energy contender like JDM, who also has a significant following, could lead to a potential blockbuster.
Edwards last fought in July, when he lost the welterweight title to Belal Muhammad. JDM, on the other hand, has been sidelined due to an injury since his win over Gilbert Burns in March.
Previously, there were rumors of JDM facing another former champion, Kamaru Usman, in Usman's return at UFC 312, which is set to take place in Australia. However, that fight remains listed as a "rumored upcoming fight" on Tapology, and some reports suggest it may not happen. The UFC may have to decide whether to keep JDM in his home country or bring Edwards in, or it could depend on Usman's readiness.
In any case, a fight between JDM and Edwards in London seems to be the smarter move at this time. The UFC 312 card already features a strong main event, with Dricus du Plessis defending his title against Sean Strickland in a rematch. Weili Zhang will also be defending her strawweight title against No. 1 contender Tatiana Suarez in the co-main event. There's even a possibility of Alexander Volkanovski being added to the card for an interim championship match against Diego Lopes.
The strength of UFC 312's card and the potential to make it even stronger without the JDM-Usman fight could make the JDM-Edwards fight the better choice. We should know for sure soon after the new year.
What’s Up Next for the UFC?
As competitors work towards challenging Weili for her title, No. 6 strawweight contestant Mackenzie Dern takes on No. 9 Amanda Ribas in the main event of UFC Vegas on January 11.
This UFC Apex event is the first UFC show of 2025, marking the end of a three-week hiatus for the promotion. Here's a look at the entire card:
- Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas - Strawweight
- Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Carlston Harris - Welterweight
- Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. César Almeida - Middleweight
- Chris Curtis vs. Roman Kopylov - Middleweight
- Austin Bashi vs. Christian Rodriguez - Featherweight
- Punahele Soriano vs. Uroš Medić - Welterweight
- Jose Johnson vs. Felipe Bunes - Flyweight
- Marco Túlio vs. Ihor Potieria - Middleweight
- Thiago Moisés vs. Trey Ogden - Lightweight
- Andreas Gustafsson vs. Preston Parsons - Welterweight
- Ernesta Kareckaite vs. Nicolle Caliari - Flyweight
- Magomed Gadzhiyasulov vs. Bruno Lopes - Light Heavyweight
- Viktoriia Dudakova vs. Fatima Kline - Strawweight
- Nurullo Aliev vs. Yanal Ashmouz - Lightweight
The rumored fight between Leon Edwards and Jack Della Maddalena is set to headline UFC 312, although it's currently just a rumor. This potential matchup is a smart move, as both fighters have a strong following and could deliver an exciting main event.
Interestingly, there were earlier rumors of JDM facing Kamaru Usman in Usman's return at UFC 312, but those plans may not materialize.
Following his loss to Belal Muhammad, Leon Edwards is looking to make a comeback at UFC London, which is scheduled for March 22. However, his opponent for this fight is yet to be confirmed.