“Leon’s a very technical fighter, but when you make it a real hard fight, he tends to break, and I could see he was breaking,” Sean Brady told reporters after submitting Leon Edwards in the fourth round of their UFC London clash. Not to mention, ‘Rocky’ met a similar fate in terms of results against Belal Muhammad when he dominated him for five rounds to take the welterweight title from the Englishman. And so a burning question has emerged! Will Edwards be able to bounce back?
In fact, UFC commentator and former champion Michael Bisping, who has been there, done that, has laid out the two paths he sees ‘Rocky’s career take.
“I think the biggest opponent for Leon Edwards now, though, is going to be himself. What’s going on in there [in his head]? Does he accept that? ‘Okay I was just beaten by two really high-level grapplers, maybe the two best grapplers in the division and I’m still 31 years old. I haven’t slowed down, I haven’t got injuries, I’m not riddled with arthritis, I’m [not] blind in one eye, okay.’ Or does he have the strength to say ‘Hold on a minute, you know I’m going to rebuild myself,’” Bisping said on ‘TNT Sports’ after UFC London.
But that is one way Edwards could go. The former champ is still 33 (not 31), still pretty sharp, and has at least a couple of good years left in him. Taking on high-level wrestlers like Muhammad and Brady was always going to be a problem for him. But this is the same man who beat Kamaru Usman, whom many consider the welterweight GOAT on two separate occasions. So Edwards does have all the tools to rally back strongly and get the gold again.
However, on the other hand, Bisping feared that his English compatriot could well be content with everything he has achieved in the sport and not have the hunger and the burning desire to become the champ again.
“Or does he succumb to the self-doubt because that starts to creep in now? You think ‘Right, well I’ve earned lots of money. I’ve become the champion, I’ve traveled all over the world. I’m set up financially for life…..Because the danger of allowing that mindset to come in is very very easy and thinking ‘You know what, I had my time in the sun.’ That’s going to be the biggest fight because if he doesn’t do that if he can look past that, I still see a world where Leon Edwards could potentially be in the title mix again,” Bisping added.
MMA: UFC 286 – Edwards vs Usman Mar 18, 2023, London, UNITED KINGDOM Leon Edwards red gloves fights Kamaru Usman blue gloves during UFC 286 at O2 Arena. London O2 Arena UNITED KINGDOM, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xPerxHaljestamx 20230318_kab_bk4_246
But to get back into the title mix, Bisping feels that Edwards needs to get some wins. At least three of them, and do so in impressive fashion if he wants another title shot. “Granted, after tonight, he’s going to need at least three wins but he’s got to start getting some wins and he’s got to start finishing some people if those conversations are going to start again,” the UFC commentator concluded. This raises one very important question.
What is next for Leon Edwards after the UFC London defeat?
Probably the first thing Leon Edwards needs to do is work on his grappling. With the top of the division populated by wrestlers of Belal Muhammad, Sean Brady, and Shavkat Rakhmonov‘s caliber, if Edwards wants to become champion again, he needs at least a very solid takedown defense.
But what next for ‘Rocky’? Well, there are a few good fights that Dana White and Co. could make for the Englishman at the moment. One is a fourth Kamaru Usman clash. ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’s last two clashes at welterweight have been losses to the Englishman, and a quadrilogy bout would be a good place for Usman to start his welterweight comeback.
There is also a surging knockout artist, Joaquin Buckley in the division, who would be a good matchup for Edwards since ‘New Mansa’ is also a striker. Ian Machado Garry is also a good clash for ‘Rocky’ for the same reason. But if the UFC really wants to make Edwards’ life hell, there is also a possibility that they give him veteran grappler, Gilbert Burns next. What do you think about Michael Bisping’s concerns about Leon Edwards’ future?
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