By Lourence Alturino
Image from mmanews.com
A rematch 7 years in the making. These two first faced off back in 2015 when they were both up and coming. Usman got the victory first time around and has become one of the greatest to ever do it. Edwards, however, has improved drastically since that fight and has rose to one of the top welterweight contenders. Usman and Edwards clash once again this Saturday night. Will the outcome remain the same for Usman or will England gain a new champion in Edwards?
Kamaru Usman (20-1)
The #1 Pound for Pound fighter in the world. Kamaru has ran through the welterweight division ever since becoming champion. Along with his elite wrestling ability, Usman has fallen in love with his new found stand up skills under head coach, Trevor Wittman. However, Kamaru tends to be very wild with his punches and that is something he needs to fix against Edwards. Can the "Nigerian Nightmare" put on another winning performance and tie the record for most consecutive wins in UFC history?
Keys for Usman:
- Get the fight to the ground
- Avoid the clinch
- Use straight punches
Leon Edwards (19-3, 1 NC)
Leon Edwards is the biggest threat to Usman's title reign. Edwards is dangerous in all aspects of the game. Even through multiple cancelled fights, Edwards has essentially been on a 9 fight winning streak ever since losing to Usman in 2015. This will be Leon's first shot at the gold and I'm sure he will not attempt to waste it. He is super lengthy, lethal on the feet and in the clinch, and has shown great takedown defense. Leon Edwards has all of the tools to win this fight, but the question is will he able to empty the tool box and pull out the victory?
Keys for Edwards:
- Defend the takedown
- Utilize kicks (especially the left kick to the body)
- Use elbows (if on his back and in the clinch)
Breakdown:
Usman: He's gained incredible confidence to stay on his feet and strike with his opposition, but for this fight in particular, he needs to wrestle. Kamaru can't afford to only strike with Edwards as this could not end well for him if he were to do so. If Usman isn't sharp and technical, Edwards will take advantage of that. Therefore, Usman should use those 1-2's and go for the single and double leg.
Edwards: Like I said, Edwards has shown the ability to defend takedowns, which he's going to need to use a lot against an elite wrestler like Usman. Even if Edwards were to be on his back, those elbows from the bottom will damage Usman. That left kick to the body could be a game changer in this fight. Colby Covington has essentially exposed that left sided attacks have hindered Usman. Keeping the fight on the feet is all that should be on Edwards' mind.
Final Prediction:
This is a 50/50 fight. The classic striker vs grappler adjacent matchup. Their last fight years ago doesn't even matter in the sequel because both have improved so much since then and we are in for a treat. Again, Edwards is the biggest and most dangerous threat to Usman right now, but it's hard to bet against the incredibly dominant champion that Kamaru Usman is. It's not going to be easy, but I believe Usman will control the fight on the ground and win via decision.
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