Edwards shifts focus from Woodley to Usman

Leon Edwards is now targeting a fight against UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, not Tyron Woodley.

"Rocky" has been in talks to face Woodley at UFC London in March, but Woodley said he did not want to travel overseas for the fight.

"My attention now is on Kamaru Usman," Edwards said on "Ariel Helwani's MMA Show" on Monday. "He's the world champion. My aim is to be a world champion. I want to go out there and defeat the last man to defeat me. My full focus now will be on Kamaru Usman. Woodley is, for some reason, not accepting the fight."

Edwards and Usman fought in December 2015, long before either was a top contender in the division. Usman won by unanimous decision.

Usman, who won the welterweight title earlier this year, defended it for the first time at UFC 245 on Saturday, defeating Colby Covington by fifth-round TKO. Edwards was in Las Vegas for the fight and said he was "not really" impressed by it.

"Being at the fight and watching the fight gave me more confidence growing in me and knowing that in 2020, I will be the world champion," Edwards said. "I will beat both of them guys. I just know I've improved so much over the years."

Usman seems more interested in fighting Edwards than Jorge Masvidal in his second title defense, which is good news for the Brit. But Edwards thinks he would've deserved the next shot even if Covington had won.

"I've put the work in," he said. "My last 10 fights I've won nine. Masvidal, his last 10 fights, he's lost five or six. So I feel I (was) the head-runner leading up to the fight.

Edwards added: "I'm happy Usman won. Like I said, there's a story behind it. He's the last guy to beat me, eight or nine fights ago. To go out there now and defeat Usman would be icing on the cake for me."