Leon Edwards cannot escape comments and questions about Nate Diaz stunning him in the fifth round at UFC 263. ‘Rocky’ dominated most of the fight until Diaz landed a right-handed slap, also known as the Stockton slap, followed by a straight left that almost led to a shocking loss for Edwards.
Leon Edwards still won convincingly with a scorecard of 49-46 x3., but he was barely on his feet in the dying moments of the bout.
Most MMA fans were curious about why Diaz decided to mock ‘Rocky’ instead of going for the finish. During an interview with CBS Sports, the upcoming welterweight title challenger had this to say about the Stockton native not going for the finish:
“Nate is just Nate, you know. First shot caught me was the kill shot. After that, I recovered… It would have ended the same way.”
It’s time for Leon Edwards to move on to his next fight. ‘Rocky’ will be taking on Kamaru Usman at UFC 278. The Jamaican-born fighter has assembled a nine-fight unbeaten streak, including a no contest against Belal Muhammad, with his last loss coming against his imminent foe Usman in 2015.
Usman had a successful wrestling career before transitioning to MMA, which has allegedly done irreversible damage to his knees and body. During the same interview, Edwards explained why the alleged damage to ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ makes this the perfect time to fight him by saying:
“Now is the perfect time to fight. I think those years looking back on it now were blessings in disguise. It gave me time to hone my skills and polish what I needed to polish. [Usman’s] competed, but he’s also been in wars. His body is breaking down, and I think now is the perfect time.” [sic]
At 35-years-old, Usman has solidified himself as the pound-for-pound king. Regardless of the alleged damage to his body, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ will show up on August 20, ready for war. It’s been a long journey for Edwards, but his career-defining moment has finally arrived.
Watch Leon Edwards’ interview with CBS Sports below: