Michael Bisping thinks Leon Edwards now has a more durable stylistic matchup at UFC Struggle Night time 255.
Edwards (22-4 MMA, 14-3 UFC) was scheduled to face Jack Della Maddalena within the March 22 fundamental occasion at The O2 in London, however will now tackle Sean Brady (17-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) as an alternative. Della Maddalena was pulled from the struggle to problem welterweight champion Belal Muhammad within the UFC 315 headliner on Might 10.
With Brady’s robust floor recreation, Bisping worries Edwards concerning the changes the previous champion should make.
“That is sort of a nightmare scenario for Leon Edwards,” Bisping mentioned on his YouTube channel. “I’m not saying Leon can’t beat him, however stylistically, and on quick discover, this can be a very, very totally different struggle and probably a more durable struggle than Jack Della Maddalena. Kinds make fights. Leon is a sniper on the toes. After all, he’s obtained nice takedown protection.
“He was in a position to take down Kamaru Usman, totally mounted, and all the remainder of it, proper? We all know he’s well-rounded. However if you’re coaching for Jack Della Maddalena, and also you’re specializing in boxing and just about a standup affair, and also you’re not likely engaged on the takedown protection and defending chokes and all of the number of insanity within the jiu-jitsu world that Sean Brady does provide, it’s an enormous mix-up.”
Edwards’ previous 4 fights have been towards standout wrestlers within the division. He was in a position to beat Kamaru Usman twice then Colby Covington, however ultimately misplaced his title to Muhammad at UFC 304.
Bisping sees similarities in Brady and Muhammad’s method.
“Now granted, all of the work that he’s executed up to now to beat Kamaru Usman, to struggle and go up towards Belal Muhammad, that’s all within the tank, OK?” Bisping mentioned. “It’s like in case you go on the market and also you win a struggle actually, actually shortly, and other people assume, ‘Why did I hassle? Why did I hassle coaching?’ No, the rationale you probably did that’s since you nonetheless leveled up in coaching camp. Your ability set general obtained higher.
“Leon’s been getting ready for these sorts of fights his complete profession. Everybody that Leon Edwards fights, whether or not it’s Colby Covington, Kamaru Usman, Belal Muhammad, they’re all making an attempt to take him down. So in a manner, nothing modifications for him. Sure, it’s not Jack Della Maddalena making an attempt to field him, making an attempt to piece him up on the toes. It’s Sean Brady, who’s very, excellent, that dominated Gilbert Burns final day trip, that’s going to be trying to take him down. So it’s the very same struggle, primarily, virtually on paper, stylistically, that Leon had in Manchester final yr when he misplaced the belt. That’s why I say it’s a little bit of a nightmare.”
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