Leon Edwards: July fight unlikely for UFC champion who targets return by October

Leon Edwards is the welterweight champion in the UFC

UFC champion Leon Edwards says he is targeting a return in September or October, which would rule him out of fighting in London this summer.

Edwards, 31, retained his welterweight title in March by beating Kamaru Usman.

The UFC are exploring the possibility of staging a second fight night in July.

American Colby Covington teased he would fight Edwards on that card, but the Briton intends to be back in action later than that.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Edwards also insisted there was no clear challenger, despite UFC president Dana White saying two-time title contender Covington, 35, was next in line.

"We're going to see who the next up-and-coming opponent is. At the moment there is no number one contender that's available to fight," said Edwards.

"We're in talks with the UFC now to try to figure it out."

The UFC are yet to announced any events in September or October aside from UFC 294 which will take place in Abu Dhabi on 21 October.

Edwards' triumph over Nigeria's Usman closed the book on their epic rivalry, which has seen the fighters compete over three bouts.

Usman won the first encounter, but Edwards upset the odds to win the rematch last August before beating the Nigerian again on points in London.

UFC 286 was the first time since 2016 a British fighter had defended a UFC world title on home soil and Jamaican-born Edwards was just the second Englishman to become a UFC champion.