Initially booked to take co-main occasion standing at UFC 262 in Houston, Texas final month — the five-round, non-title, non-main occasion bout between welterweight contender, Leon Edwards, and veteran, Nate Diaz lastly lands in Glendale, Arizona this weekend at UFC 263. And with hopes to safe a well-overdue title problem, Edwards has sights set on changing into the primary man since Josh Thomson to complete Diaz after they meet on the Gila River Area.
Booked for his second Octagon outing of the 12 months, streaking #3 ranked 170lbs challenger, Edwards headlined a UFC Vegas 21 occasion in March, and regardless of beginning nicely towards short-notice substitute, Belal Muhammad, noticed the bout with a ‘No Contest’ early within the second spherical after he had landed the final of a sequence of inadvertent eye pokes.
After the victory, the Birmingham native was left in a sure limbo, with claims for a title rematch towards Kamaru Usman falling on deaf ears because of the ‘No Contest’ nature of his return bout. Slightly than sit out and await the victor of Usman’s rematch towards Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261 in Apri, Edwards was slotted right into a high-profile battle towards the returning Stockton favorite, Diaz.
Initially slated to characteristic because the penultimate bout at UFC 262 on the Toyota Centre beneath the vacant light-weight title bout between now-champion, Charles Oliveira, and Michael Chandler, the bout was rescheduled after Diaz suffered an undisclosed damage.
Chomping on the bit to lastly earn his premier tilt at undisputed welterweight gold, Edwards is tasked with overcoming the steely Diaz, who has solely been completed by each Hermes Franca and the above-mentioned, Thomson, exterior of a health care provider’s stoppage defeat to Masvidal in November of 2019. And Workforce Renagade BJJ & MMA mainstay, Edwards is assured of dispatching the Californian Final Fighter victor contained in the 5 spherical restrict.
“I’m going on the market to cease him,” Edwards mentioned throughout a current interview with MMA Fighting. “I don’t assume he can take as a lot as they assume he might over 5 rounds. I do know he’s most likely counting on me getting drained and like I mentioned with (Jorge) Masvidal, he’s going to climb on high of him for (rounds) 4 and 5.“
Edwards, who enters the showcase undefeated in his final 9 Octagon walks, hasn’t been stopped in his profession, whether or not that be by way of strikes or submission. And believes he’s bought the power to go from spherical one to 5, all while beating Diaz from “pillar to put up“.
“Let’s say I am going on the market and batter you from pillar to put up for (rounds) one to 3 — I’ve by no means been stopped in my profession,” Edwards defined. “Each time I’ve fought all 5 rounds, I’ve bought the choice. I’ve by no means been submitted. By no means been knocked out. Nothing. I’m trying ahead to it. I’m getting in there simply the place I left off in March and I’ll stick with it like that to get the victory. I’ll take a look at him and push him in each single means I can to get the victory. To assert my world title shot after this struggle.“
A stoppage over Diaz would lay out an enormous assertion of intent from 29-year-old all-rounder Edwards, following a string of wins which incorporates the likes of former light-weight champion, Rafael dos Anjos, Gunnar Nelson, future Corridor of Famer, Donald Cerrone, Bryan Barberena, in addition to the #5 ranked streaking contender, Vicente Luque.
Senior author for FightBook MMA. An aspiring blended martial arts reporter based mostly in Eire. Producer of stories articles, interviews, opinion options, and unique options resembling, ‘The Fallout’, ‘The Breakdown, and, ‘This Week In MMA’.
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