Can Leon Edwards Recapture the Magic?
"Don't let 'im bully ya son!"
I was frustrated, standing in my basement watching the fifth round of Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards II for the UFC Welterweight Championship. As a fan of Leon Edwards, I was annoyed with his questionable decision making and what appeared to be altitude-induced fatigue. With about 3 minutes left in the fight, my friend decides “I have to go pee, I’ve been holding it in for too long”, thinking that this fight was already in the bag for Usman. I was thinking the same with about a minute of the fight left, the commentary team seemed sure that Edwards was done, dejected. Save for Jon Anik: “That is not the cloth from which he is cut” and it happens.
The greatest sporting moment I have experienced. Leon Edwards, the perennial underdog, man with the worst luck in MMA, and who was losing his championship shot, threw a perfect head kick that knocked Usman out cold in the final round. The KO, his corner work, the commentary, his post-fight interview. All of it came together to produce a “Rocky” moment, solidifying the nickname his school friends gave him.
To most, this moment seemed like a flash in the pan, a fluke given the way in which the fight was trending. This is hyperbolic, as it was beautifully set up and timed by Edwards in a moment of technical brilliance. Throughout the fight, Edwards was employing successful counters to Usman’s game and is credited as the first person to both take Usman down and knock him out. Given the way Edwards looked during the majority of the fight however, I would not blame you for counting Rocky out in the upcoming rubber match tomorrow. The question on everyone’s mind is; can Leon Edwards recapture the magic?
Countering the Pressure
Throughout the middle portions of their title rematch, Edwards would consistently allow Usman to pressure him against the cage where he could then work a beautiful boxing game and takedowns along the fence. This type of fight simply drained what already looked to be a fatigued Edwards after the first round. Edwards was able to create moments, but not consistently enough to stifle the pressure from Usman.
Intercepting Knees
Intercepting knees are not seen often enough in MMA, as they are a great weapon for punishing an opponent coming in. During the fight Usman would step in big with a jab or cross only to be met with a knee up the middle to his head or body. This also worked as a counter to takedown and clinch attempts in open space.
Usman steps in big with a rear hand straight
Edwards slips and counters with a thudding knee to the body
Edwards counters the jab with a knee to the body
BONUS: Edwards fakes the intercepting knee in order to take Usman’s back
The Clinch
Despite the wrestling pedigree of Kamaru Usman, Leon Edwards was much more successful in the clinch. In open space, Edwards would enter a clinch to hit knees, or punches and elbows off of the break.
When trapped against the fence, Edwards pummeled to get better position and circled off the cage to either hit his beautiful outside trip:
1.Edwards establishes an over-under clinch
Hits the outside trip staying glued to Usman
And finishes in mount
Or to strike on the clinch break.
Edwards is smushed against the cage
So he pummels for an under hook and begins circling off
Finishing with a knee in open space
The clinch ended up being his most successful weapon against Usman, even in the rounds he was losing. As an intercepting knee puts him on one leg, the clinch can be a safer alternative in stopping Usman’s pressure, slowing the pace of the fight, and landing his own offense.
Outside Offense
While intercepting knees and clinches allowed Leon to halt Usman’s offense, feinting and kicking allowed him to work from the outside. When not pressed up against the cage, Leon was able to feint into kicks with little to no resistance. While a feinted 1-2 most led to Usman’s unconscious body on the canvas, it was due to an accumulation of kicks to the leg and body that opened up this opportunity as well. Inside low kicks, sidekicks to the leg, and front snap kicks to the body all landed with regularity for Edwards.
Front snap kick
These are ideal weapons for Edwards to carry over in the trilogy.
1. Usman has horrible knees (listen to him talk about it on JRE)
2. Attritive work to the legs and body slows him down
3. All of these kicks are hard to catch and create a takedown off of
4. He will be wary of the head kick, so the body and legs might be even more open
Side kicks —> punish forward pressure, injure the knee
Inside low kicks —> Hard to catch, counters Usman’s jab and long stance
Front snap kicks —> punish forward pressure
Let Your Offense Flourish
While Edwards’ moments of success were marked, they were few and far between. Why? Leon would choose to stand still or back himself up against the cage at the first instance of offense coming his way. Usman was truly bullying him for large portions of this fight.
Edwards cannot get off the cage
Usman separates from Edwards’ back control
Edwards stays in the same spot while Usman circles wide to the outside
Usman comes back in, pressuring Edwards against the cage. No urgency from Edwards here
Whether due to not being acclimatized or his mindset towards the fight I do not know, but for Edwards to best turn these moments into an offensive system he needs to employ:
1. Lateral movement to stay in open space.
Edwards should be circling away from offense rather than backing to the cage, where Usman is able to do his best work. This will allow him to work from the outside more effectively to set traps with his feints and attempt to counter Usman’s offense without fear of his cage wrestling.
2. Pivots following offense
Pivoting is integral as he found most of his offensive success within or coming out of the clinch. Edwards seems stronger and more well-versed in standing clinch exchanges, but he is also most susceptible to being pushed against the cage in the moments following the break. After throwing punches or elbows after the break, pivoting to an angle away from the cage both keeps him safe from Usman’s offense and forces Usman to follow him, setting up offensive opportunities for Edwards.
While many are down on Rocky’s chances, I remain optimistic that the confidence he acquired in becoming champion and fighting at sea level will make this a much more competitive fight than people are anticipating. Both men are brilliant fighters and I wish them luck, but I would love to see Leon Edwards recapture the magic.
