Ian Machado Garry believes the fire inside Leon Edwards may have burned out.
Edwards (22-5 MMA, 14-4 UFC) was dethroned as welterweight champion after a humiliating loss to Belal Muhammad at UFC 304 in July of last year. “Rocky” returned to the Octagon at UFC London this past March, only to suffer another devastating defeat, this time at the hands of Sean Brady.
Edwards has since signed on to face Carlos Prates at UFC 322 on November 15. But Ian Machado Garry (16-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) — one of the many rising contenders in the welterweight division — isn’t convinced the UK star has enough fight left in him to make another run at championship gold.
"I feel like Leon Edwards is on his way out and has been on his way out," Machado Garry said in an interview with Games Hub. "When you watch the fight with Belal and you see Leon Edwards in that corner, he doesn't look like he wants to be there. His team should be there for him and say, 'Mate, I think you've lost the love for this. I think you're done.' But I don't think he has a team strong enough or vocal enough to say what needs to be said.
"I feel like he has a bunch of yes men behind him, and we've seen that again happen in the Sean Brady fight. He told his corner in between one of the rounds to f*ck off, or shut the f*ck up. I can't remember what it was. Mentally, he's weak. I feel like his love is gone from the game and there wasn’t much of a fighter in there at the first place. And I definitely don't think there is any more. I'm shocked that he agreed to fight with Carlos Prates. I think he's going to get knocked out, put unconscious, and we're never going see Leon Edwards again."
