Leon Edwards and Nate Diaz at UFC 263 face-offs (Credits: SCMP)
Leon Edwards takes on Nate Diaz in a 5-round non-title fight this weekend at UFC 263
Edwards is closer to welterweight greatness than ever. After stitching up eight victories on the trot, the UFC has begun taking the Brit seriously.
He faces the returning ‘West Coast Gangster’ Nate Diaz this weekend. Due to the sheer magnitude of the fight, and also because Diaz loves a 5-rounder, the fight will become the first-ever 5-round non-title fight.
Edwards is coming off a no-contest against Belal Muhammad, earlier this year in March. Diaz, on the other hand, last fought Jorge Masvidal at UFC 244 in November 2019, for the BMF title.
At the UFC Pre-fight press conference, Leon Edwards appeared really confident and claimed that he was miles ahead of Nate Diaz, skillset wise.
“Skillset wise, I’m leaps above him and I will show that on Saturday night. I know he said it’s kill or be killed, but I’m here to kill, so I can’t wait.”
Diaz is currently unranked in the welterweight division. But a win here could see him fighting for the title very soon.
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Diaz claimed that “win or lose”, he would still be fighting for the title.
He was quoted as saying:
“I don’t care if I lose, I’m (still) fighting for the title. The plan is win here and then we’ll see who’s next for me. … I’m rolling with the punches right now, but whatever I’m going to do it’s going to be bigger than anything anybody is going to do.” [via Rolling Stone]
It would be hard for ‘Rocky’ to finish the ‘Stockton Slugger’, but the Brit will do whatever it takes to stop the ever-favourite Nate Diaz.
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