Kamaru Usman plans to return to sparring in May before defending his UFC tile in July following a hand injury that kept him out of the cage.
The dominant welterweight champion has seemingly beaten all the top contenders in his division, and is going back around for a second run including rematches with Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington.
He is now expected to face Birmingham's Leon Edwards in July after the pair met back in 2015 on the undercard of Rafael Dos Anjos' lightweight world title win over Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone.
Back then, Usman dominated during their prelim bout, but neither fighter has lost in their subsequent 22 bouts combined, leading to an inevitable second showdown.
But first, the champion must return to full contact training, which he believes to be a few months away.
"The doctor said I have to recover for a couple of months because it it going to take time to heal," Usman told ESPN MMA of his hand injury.
"I need to get it to the point where I can fully commit to throwing the hand without hesitation.
"I think some time in May, once he gives me the heads up to test it and throw it, I will.
"Because even now I am training and go in and hit the bag and do the things I physically can."
And while Edwards is currently the top contender in the division who hasn't had a shot at the belt within the last year, the rising Khamzat Chimaev could prove problematic if he can beat No.2 contender Gilbert Burns.
The unbeaten Swede has flown up the ranks in the UFC since bursting onto the scene, and could theoretically leapfrog Edwards given his massive popularity with fans and dominant style.
But Usman has insisted that he is primarily targeting the Brit, who has struggled to get the respect he deserves in the promotion of late.
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"I have seen stranger things," Usman said of a possible opponent change. "But right now my focus is on Leon Edwards because he is a clear contender.
"My focus is on him but this is not just my decision, it has to do with Dana White as well."
Usman most recently defeated Covington in a hotly-contested rematch at Madison Square Garden back in November.
It was his third world title defence of the year, and saw him pushed to his limits by the renowned wrestler who appears to be his only legitimate challenge at the weight.
Edwards will have been out for over a year by the July date, having last fought in June against Nate Diaz at UFC 263, where he dominated the fan favourite over five rounds before a brief scare at the end.
The Brit has found fights hard to come by in recent years, fighting twice since 2019 due to a number of cancellations and issues, including three bouts of his own with Chimaev.
