Leon Edwards is aware of he wasn’t at his greatest when he misplaced his UFC welterweight title to Belal Muhammad this previous July.
The now former champion, and his head coach Dave Lovell, have each spoken out concerning the situations surrounding that struggle, primarily the extremely odd timing with the principle occasion strolling to the octagon at round 5 a.m. native time. Edwards claimed his reactions had been “sluggish”, and Lovell went so far as saying that he solely noticed “30 to 40 %” of his fighter that evening.
Retired UFC welterweight Matt Brown sympathizes with all of the struggles Edwards confronted that evening, as a result of he handled any variety of points that performed an element in a few of his hardest losses. The issue is airing these grievances after the actual fact simply isn’t an excellent look.
“I perceive the place Leon’s coming from, particularly being in his residence nation,” Brown stated on the most recent episode of The Fighter vs. The Author. “He’s actually accustomed to a sure rhythm, a routine of sleeping and waking. Belal coming from one other nation, there’s some pleasure and every part’s new. The time zone is new. You’re going to be adjusting to the time zone regardless.
“I suppose I might see it somewhat bit, however we’re proper on monitor with the identical factor we at all times say. You’ll be able to’t take away from Belal. He fought wonderful in that struggle. That’s a part of being a fighter. It’s important to take care of shit like that. Issues like which have thrown me off previously, too, 100% throughout fights. I do know it. I don’t essentially say it publicly. However it’s factual. It does occur however that’s being a fighter.”
There’s an previous adage amongst fighters that generally it’s important to be your greatest in your worst evening.
Brown is aware of there’s quite a few examples all through his 15 years spent competing within the UFC the place he confronted some exterior the cage concern that finally affected his efficiency. As a rule, The Final Fighter season 7 alum knew the distinction between profitable and dropping didn’t at all times simply come right down to expertise or capability.
However Brown additionally acknowledges that regardless of how a lot brutal honesty Edwards and his coach are shelling out after a troublesome loss, the response from followers, fighters and the media is at all times going to be the identical.
“There’s at all times a motive why you lose, no matter that motive is,” Brown defined. “There’s a motive. While you converse it out loud, it’s an excuse. It doesn’t matter what it was. There’s simply no manner round that. It turns into an excuse.
“You simply don’t converse it out loud, for my part. Consider me, I’m not attempting to make it about myself, however talking alone expertise, each loss I’ve ever had I might provide you with official the reason why it occurred. There’s only a few the place you stroll away, and the man was merely higher than me. There’s motive that goes into each time. You realize that you might have executed it. While you say it out loud, it’s an excuse.”
In Edwards’ scenario, preventing at a particularly odd hour could have been what price him the possibility to retain his belt in a 3rd straight title protection. As an alternative, he was repeatedly taken down and managed for big parts of the struggle as Muhammad executed an almost flawless technique to counter and defeat him.
That loss is clearly going to sting as a result of Edwards had a lot driving on that struggle so Brown undoubtedly understands the will to pinpoint a motive why all that occurred.
Sadly, Brown believes addressing it publicly goes to look dangerous regardless of the way you body it.
“Leon being the champion and dropping, after all he’s going to low cost what Belal did,” Brown stated. “He’s on the lookout for solutions for why did he lose, and clearly that’s what he’s chalking it as much as, at the very least publicly. Possibly in non-public there’s different issues. However I believe it’s a official reply for him. Possibly Belal needed to take care of the identical factor. Had Belal misplaced possibly he would have used the identical excuse, used the identical reasoning.
“The very fact is once more, you may phrase it nevertheless you need, while you convey it up, it’s an excuse. There may be legitimately causes a variety of instances why you misplaced that aren’t just because the man was higher. However you simply don’t say something about it.”
On Saturday — at a way more affordable time — Edwards returns for a struggle in opposition to Sean Brady the place a win might doubtlessly catapult him again into title rivalry or presumably knock him manner additional again with a loss. That’s the place Edwards will get to probability to indicate his loss to Muhammad was a fluke fairly than making an attempt to clarify the place all of it went flawed.
“It’s not do or die, however it’s large implications on this struggle,” Brown stated. “Leon has an extended highway forward if he finally ends up dropping this struggle. The identical for Brady. If he loses this struggle, he’s most likely going to be have a look at as a terrific fighter that by no means received to the title, a kind of guys — form of like myself — a kind of guys. He’ll form of be in that class. He gained’t be anticipated to make it to the title. Simply the other in the event that they win.
“If both one wins, they’re undoubtedly knocking on the door, and we all know how this recreation is. You may find yourself getting a title struggle at any time, but in addition, you’d suppose they be in at the very least a title contender match after a win right here.”
