"Gotta be Masvidal" - Fans speculate opponent as Leon Edwards makes big announcement about next fight date and venue 

Fans have reacted to the report that Leon Edwards would return to competition in early 2025. The Jamaican-British fighter lost the welterweight title to Belal Muhammad at UFC 304 in July and has been on the sidelines since the upset defeat.

MMA journalist Ariel Helwani recently posted an update about Edwards' return on X. According to Helwani, Edwards will headline the March 22, 2025, event at the O2 Arena in London, UK. However, the name of the opponent is still under the veil:

"Leon Edwards was just interviewed on the @DAZNBoxing broadcast by @_JamieWard. He revealed he is headlining the 02 card in London on March 22, 2025. Didn’t mention an opponent."

Fans expressed their opinions on the report in the comments section. While some pitched rising contenders like Jack Della Maddalena and Sean Brady as potential opponents, others suggested that Edwards should fight Jorge Masvidal:

Fan reactions

Edwards and Masvidal were engaged in a fierce rivalry that culminated in a backstage brawl at UFC London in March 2019. However, the pair never competed inside the octagon. While Masvidal retired from competitive MMA in 2023, he has expressed the desire to return for the right matchups.

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Leon Edwards sets the goal for 2025

The UFC 304 title fight loss against Belal Muhammad snapped Leon Edwards’ 13-fight unbeaten run spanning almost eight years. The former welterweight champion wants to reclaim the top spot once he returns to competition.

In a video posted on @myprotein's Instagram page, Edwards laid out his plan for 2025, saying:

"I'd love to be the champion again by the end of [2025], by around the same time next year. So just putting steps in place. I haven't lost a fight in, like, nine years. So was getting used to that feeling again. I hate losing more than I love winning. There's not much you can do now... Just move on. You put it behind you and for me, it's more about what's next and how do you get back to where you were. Now my goal is to be a two-time world champion."

Check out Leon Edwards' comments below:

While Edwards has set the goal for 2025, the division's title picture has rapidly changed in recent months. Rising stars Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry are set to compete in a title eliminator fight at UFC 310. Meanwhile, Jack Della Maddalena, Sean Brady and Carlos Prates have been steadily gaining momentum.