Renowned UFC referee Mark Goddard has given the reason why he will never officiate fights involving the promotion's welterweight champion Leon Edwards.
"You've never seen me referee Leon Edwards in the UFC, and you never will. Why? In fact, it's amazing that no one has talked about it yet. It's a classic case. Because I was his first MMA coach. Back when he was just an amateur. But again, it's a common sense element to me, although the connection is - who knew back then, when Leon first walked into that gym as a rookie with no experience, who he would become? Now look at him.
He's the UFC welterweight champion of the world, but you've never seen me referee him, and you never will because we just keep it on the sidelines. I just don't want to be in a predicament where I make any decision either way in the fight that could go against him or for him - the public won't care anymore," Goddard told Overdogs Podcast.
Edwards will defend his title against Belal Muhammad in the main event of UFC 304 on July 27 in Manchester, UK.