UFC 296: Leon Edwards vs Colby Covington is technique against tenacity

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In changing into and remaining UFC welterweight champion, Leon Edwards has battled an outdated rival, his personal demons, the Utah altitude, and in-ring penalties. On Saturday, the Jamaican-born Briton will battle tenacity incarnate, as he defends his title against Colby Covington at UFC 296.

When Edwards dethroned Kamaru Usman in August 2022, he earned vengeance for a loss eight years prior, but in addition vindication for years spent crafting one of many best-rounded skillsets in MMA. In the primary spherical, Edwards confirmed how considerably his grappling had improved, as he grew to become the primary opponent to take down the then-No 1 pound-for-pound fighter within the UFC. And within the ultimate spherical, after struggling against the circumstances in Utah and struggling beneath the relentless wrestling of Usman, Edwards confirmed how superior his placing actually was, knocking the champion out chilly with a picture-perfect head kick – with only one minute left on the clock.

Years of successful, years of ready, and eventually Edwards had his shot on the gold – and located the “headshot” to create historical past, as Britain’s second UFC champion ever. Then got here his first title defence, in March, in a trilogy bout against Usman in London. Just as he had been in earlier wins against the likes of Rafael dos Anjos and Donald Cerrone, Edwards was versatile and medical en path to a call win, although some extent deduction for a fence seize threatened to convey his reign to a swift and underwhelming finish.

Ultimately, although, it was one other battle received by Edwards, who has been battling since he was a boy. Edwards was born in Kingston earlier than his household moved to Birmingham, and he was nonetheless simply 13 when his father was shot and killed in London. Edwards, now 32, and his youthful brother Fabian grew into males earlier than their time – and into expert martial artists.

Leon has all the time had a peaceful aura about him, however he is tenacious; to focus on that Covington has that very same high quality in abundance is to not recommend that Edwards doesn’t. Similarly, to reward the wonder and effectivity of Edwards’s eclectic methods is to not recommend that Covington is totally uncooked or reckless. However, he is typically wild.

The probability in Saturday’s essential occasion is that the controversial Covington, a cardio machine, will bear down on Edwards for as lots of the 25 scheduled minutes as potential, forcing “Rocky” onto the again foot and to compromise on technique. The process for Edwards, then, might be to take care of that technique and to choose holes within the American’s frantic and typically defective placing.

Covington sometimes makes use of his strikes to shut distance and allow his best power which, like Usman, is his offensive wrestling –though “Chaos” tends to make use of his at a better tempo. Edwards struggled to fight that method in his first battle with Usman in 2015, and for a protracted spell of their rematch due to the altitude, however he confirmed an amazing capacity to take care of that offence in March. Ahead of UFC 296 in Las Vegas, Edwards has now skilled to battle an offensive wrestler for the third bout in a row, so he’ll fancy his probabilities of neutralising Covington.

That confidence might be bolstered by the truth that Covington is now 35 and has not fought in 21 months. His final outing was a dominant determination win against an aged Jorge Masvidal – a friend-turned-rival – however Covington was dropped in that bout. The former interim champion was additionally dropped in his two defeats by Usman, dropping by way of late TKO in 2019 and on factors in 2021. In whole, he has been dropped 5 instances throughout three of his final 4 fights. And whereas Edwards doesn’t hit as arduous as Usman, his placing is a lot crisper, even eclipsing that of Masvidal.

Arguably, the likeliest path to victory for Edwards is a TKO as Covington lurches ahead. Meanwhile, the worst-case state of affairs might be a battle wherein he is overwhelmed and easily can not get going or set his ft. The champion should even be disciplined; his latest fights have featured some extent deduction in March, an unintended eye poke which led to a No Contest against Belal Muhammad in 2021, and a late scare in his win over Nate Diaz that yr, when Edwards dominated however was rocked within the ultimate minute.

All in all, composure might be key to Edwards cracking Covington’s code.