Kamaru Usman understands simply how a lot is driving on Leon Edwards’ efficiency at UFC 322 as a result of he was in the identical precise scenario just a few months in the past.
Regardless of profitable extra rounds than he misplaced in a pair of back-to-back fights towards Edwards between 2022 and 2023, Usman suffered a last-minute knockout loss to Edwards after which dropped a majority choice of their subsequent encounter as he tried to reclaim his welterweight title. Usman then accepted a short-notice combat towards Khamzat Chimaev at middleweight that he almost gained, however in the end ended up on the improper finish of one other majority choice.
Usman lastly acquired again on observe with a dominant showcase towards Joaquin Buckley in June, however now Edwards is confronted with an analogous state of affairs after he misplaced the welterweight title to Belal Muhammad and was then submitted by Sean Brady in his subsequent outing. Edwards makes an attempt to stave off a 3rd loss in a row when he faces Carlos Prates on Saturday.
“It’s an enormous one,” Usman informed MMA Combating about Edwards’ upcoming combat. “Since you don’t actually need to drop that many fights like that and never simply drop the fights however simply being dominated in that manner. This one poses slightly little bit of a special problem as a result of it’s one other striker. That’s primarily not been the realm the place Leon has struggled.
“It’s positively an enormous one as a result of nobody desires to drop three in a row. However I feel there’s nonetheless questions that must be answered. Are you able to take care of a grappler that’s going to go in and attempt to put you down? Until we get the solutions, it’s going to be powerful to say how this one is or how this one isn’t as a result of these questions aren’t answered but.”
Edwards was largely out-grappled in each of his current losses to Muhammad and Brady so it’s a legitimate concern that profitable at UFC 322 doesn’t essentially absolve him of these previous errors.
Prates is finest often known as an electrical striker with big knockout energy in his arms, however Edwards is arguably the most effective kickboxers to ever compete within the welterweight division. Whatever the stylistic matchup, Usman is aware of that doesn’t matter a lot once you’re staring down three straight losses, which is what Edwards desperately desires to keep away from.
“It’s an enormous one as a result of nobody actually desires to drop three in a row and naturally, nobody desires to be completed two out of these three,” Usman stated.
Whereas Edwards has his arms full in a redemption combat, most of the different prime welterweights within the division have marquee matchups scheduled over the subsequent two weeks.
At UFC 322, Sean Brady appears to be like to construct off his win over Edwards when he faces undefeated prospect Michael Morales, who’s getting a determined step up in competitors for his subsequent combat. In the meantime, former champion Belal Muhammad takes on Ian Machado Garry at UFC Qatar subsequent Saturday in one other pivotal matchup for the division.
Usman has been stumping for himself to get the subsequent title shot towards the winner of the UFC 322 most important occasion between Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev, however is aware of the remainder of the division possible will get some readability as soon as these subsequent two playing cards are completed.
“It’s a good time to be a prime welterweight proper now,” Usman stated. “There’s simply so many enjoyable matchups, so many enjoyable fights. These guys are actually beginning to inch their manner as much as the highest of the division. Truthfully, I don’t suppose anybody is basically in entrance of the opposite proper now. As a result of for those who have a look at the panorama, it’s tough to say Shavkat [Rakhmonov] is in entrance of Sean Brady and Carlos Prates and Ian Machado Garry, after all he did get the win over [Prates] but it surely’s tough to say that. Vice versa with Ian, it’s tough to say you’re over Michael Morales or Brady and these guys. These guys are form of bunched up there. You’ve acquired Michael Morales, Joaquin Buckley as nicely, you’ve acquired Sean Brady, you’ve acquired Ian Garry, you’ve acquired Carlos Prates.
“All these guys are there, it’s form of thrilling and I feel hopefully after this weekend, some guys form of separate themselves to the place they’re not prime tier and there’s a tier under these guys. These guys are a combat or two away they usually’re getting the potential subsequent shot. It’s one thing that I’m conserving my eye on and we’ll see what occurs.”
