The UFC is hoping that the third time’s a charm by booking Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev to headline a UFC Fight Night on March 13.
MMAWeekly.com confirmed the rebooking of the bout, which was first reported by MMA Junkie citing UFC president Dana White.
It marks the third time that UFC officials have attempted to make the fight happen.
Edwards vs. Chimaev was first scheduled to headline a UFC Fight Night on Dec. 19, the promotion’s final event of 2020. As much of 2020 was clouded by COVID-19, so has been this bout.
The Dec. 12 date was nixed after both fighters tested positive for COVID-19. It was then rescheduled to headline a UFC Fight Night on Jan. 20 in Abu Dhabi.
That date was then cast aside because Chimaev was still suffering lingering effects from having COVID-19.
UFC officials are hopeful that the bout can now take place on March 13, as White confirmed Edwards vs. Chimaev would headline the unannounced UFC Fight Night fight.
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Edwards is trying to get back in action after spending all of 2020 and half of 2019 on the sidelines. If the March 13 bout comes to fruition, it will have been just a few months shy of two years since Edwards last fought.
Chimaev, however, emerged as one of the UFC’s brightest new stars in 2020. He won all of his first three UFC bouts by way of knockout or submission.
Had the bout with Edwards happened and he won, Chimaev may have taken honors as the top Breakout Fighter of 2020, but fell just shy.
Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev rebooked for UFC Fight Night in March
