Leon Edwards fought Kamaru Usman back when both the fighters were relatively new in the UFC
If there is someone in the welterweight division who has silently risen through the ranks, it has to be Leon ‘Rocky’ Edwards. The Brit is now ranked number 3 in the welterweight division.
Back in 2015, when he was relatively new, he faced the now Welterweight king Kamaru Usman. The match went to a decision and Usman eventually won (unanimous decision).
Since then, Usman has gone on to become the welterweight champion, and has already defended it 4 times.
Edwards, on the other hand, never came close to a title shot, but has managed to stay lossless since his fight against Usman. He is currently on an eight-fight win streak, and has now cemented his position as a top-ranked welterweight.
Speaking in an interview with Mirror Fighting, Edwards claimed that he has matured a lot since his fight against the Nigerian Nightmare. ‘Rocky’ said a lot of things have changed since then:
“Everything is different now. When I fought Usman I was 23, young, learning my way and just getting to the UFC. I am now a veteran of the UFC, I’ve fought many different styles and I just feel like I am a totally different person from the one I was back then.” [via The Mirror]
Edwards is just a fortnight away from his high-voltage clash against the returning Nate Diaz. This will be Diaz’s first fight since November 2019. Plus, this is the first non-title event in the UFC which will be for 5 rounds.
A win for Edwards here, might earn him a shot at the title. In that way, he can probably look to avenge his loss against Usman.
First things first, he must see off the tough-as-nails Diaz, who wouldn’t even get knocked out even if a truck mows him over.
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