Someone better tell Vladimir Putin to pack up his things, because "The Guvner" of Canberra could be set to rule Russia.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Canberra fighter Ben Edwards could ink a deal with major Russian mixed martial arts promotion Fight Nights Global as his path to the UFC takes a turn.
Edwards is 2-0 and has been all but guaranteed a UFC shot if he reaches a 4-0 record, but the waters are unclear on the Australian fight scene.
Two of Australia's top four heavyweights in No. 1 Jeremy Joiner and No. 4 Brandon Sosoli have faced Edwards and finished on the canvas.
The other two members of the top four are No. Ben Sosoli and No. 3 Mike Turner, who were scheduled to fight at Diamondback Fighting Championship 5 at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.
"The Guvner" says Ben Sosoli doesn't want a bar of him - so Edwards hopes Turner pulls up okay so they can meet in the octagon at a Brace MMA event in Canberra on May 5.
If Edwards can beat three of the top four Australian heavyweights and the fourth won't fight him, he hopes the UFC come knocking.
If that's not enough, the 33-year-old is off to Russia to ink a deal with Fight Nights Global.
"[Fight Nights Global] wanted to lock me in for four fights over 18 months, and I asked them if they'd be able to do me a two-fight deal and then we'd be able to renegotiate my contract after that," Edwards said.
"They said yes they can. I've beaten two of the top four guys in Australia. The other two guys in the top four, excluding me, they're fighting this weekend.
"If Mike Turner wins and he pulls up alright, I'm fighting him in Canberra [on May 5]. If he wins and doesn't pull up okay and isn't going to be good for Canberra, I'm probably going to sign with Russia.
"If he loses I'm probably going to sign with Russia, just for two fights.
"The UFC is still the goal. If I can beat Mike Turner I've beaten three of the top four in Australia, give me a chance.
"If I can't fight him and the other guy won't fight me, I don't want to be fighting guys ranked fifth, sixth, seventh, even lower. It feels like a step backwards for me, so if that happens I'll be going to Russia.
"If not, hopefully I can still fight Turner in Canberra and then we can approach the UFC again. If I beat Turner and I beat him convincingly, like I knock him out, I'll do a full social media barrage to the UFC.
"Hashtag #LetMeIn. That's the plan."
Edwards (2-0) was set to face Kym Robinson for the Brace heavyweight championship at the AIS Arena on March 3, with Edwards' best mate Duke Didier scheduled to defend his light heavyweight title.
But the show was postponed until May 5 after an opponent for Didier couldn't be locked in and Robinson failed his pre-fight medical.
Edwards has no issue with fighting overseas - he's done it plenty of times before in a lengthy career that has garnered championship gold in kickboxing and boxing.
"It's dragging on. Ideally I want to fight every 10 weeks to three months. I'm not getting any younger," Edwards said.
"I spoke to the guys from [Australian Fighting Championship] in Perth and they tried to match me with three different guys and they couldn't get anyone to match me.
"When I start getting on a winning streak again and knocking people out in the first round, it's very hard to find matches. It's a bit of a pain but that's the way it is."
