By BBC (Sports) | Created at 2024-11-26 12:52:15 | Updated at 2024-11-28 02:42:49
1 day ago
Leon Edwards hopes to be UFC champion again "by the end of next year" as he plots his comeback to the octagon.
The Birmingham fighter lost the UFC welterweight title to Belal Muhammad in July, suffering his first loss since 2015.
Edwards, 33, is yet to book his return, but says he expects to be given another chance at championship level.
"My goal right now is to get the belt back," Edwards said on Instagram.
"For me, it's more about what's next and how do you get back to where you want to get to. My goal is to be a two-time world champion."
No Briton has ever captured a UFC title twice, with Michael Bisping and Tom Aspinall the only other two British fighters to win a UFC title or interim belt.
Edwards was the favourite against Muhammad, but put in a flat performance in front of his home fans in Manchester.
UFC 304 was an overnight event in the UK, targeted towards a US audience, and Edwards emerged for his fight around 05:30 local time.
Edwards' previous defeat before that was by Kamaru Usman over eight years ago, having gone on 13-fight unbeaten streak after that loss.
There has been no confirmation about who Edwards might fight on his return, although old rival Jorge Masvidal has been mentioned as a possibility for the UFC fight night in London on 22 March.
"I haven't lost a fight in like nine years," Edwards said.
"It's getting used to that feeling again, but I feel like I hate losing more than I love winning.
"There's not much you can do now, you know, just move on from that and put it behind you."
