How does Leon Edwards do against prime Robbie Lawler?

[mkt]

I've posted before about several strikers from that era who would give Leon a big challenge:

• Prime Lawler
• Prime Hendricks (heavy hands & wrestling, could go 5 rounds)
• Prime Wonderboy
• Prime Condit
• Prime, late Strikeforce Nick Diaz who was bigger and a lot better than the corpse of Nate whom Leon fought. He'd come at you with punches and bunces for 5 rounds without tiring.

 

[CPH]

The era with prime Lawler, Henricks, Condit, Diaz and Mcdonald was the worst? LMAO.

I would say so, yes, though it is followed closely by the Woodley era. The current top 10 is Usman, Muhammad, Shavkat, Colby, Maddalena, Burns. Any one of those guys would beat 'second prime' Lawler. Condit and Diaz would get eaten up in the current wrestler-heavy division. Lawler and Hendricks were really basic punchers with terrible gas tanks. Rory was the most well-rounded of the bunch but his fight IQ was questionable and even ability-wise, he would struggle with any one of the guys I just mentioned.

 

[CPH]

Prime, late Strikeforce Nick Diaz who was bigger and a lot better than the corpse of Nate whom Leon fought. He'd come at you with punches and bunces for 5 rounds without tiring.

Edwards is a nightmare opponent for Nick. The crowding that Nick relies on would not work against someone who is as accurate and adept at controlling distance as Edwards ...and then there are the low kicks ...and then there is Edwards' elite level grappling. Who has Nick ever beaten that has anywhere close to Edwards in terms of size and skillset? Post 2010 BJ? Dude, come on....

I am a big fan of both the Diaz brothers, don't get me wrong, but this idea that Nick could be a top WW in this era is pure fantasy.

 

[ExitLUPin]

Robbie KO

Leon is a great striker but needs the fight to be at kicking range so he can get his kicks off or in the clinch where hes a very good clinch striker. But that middle pocket boxing range has always been a major weakness that he tends to avoid like the plague. Everyone remembers when Nate caught him but shot Cowboy was outboxing him in the pocket for a good portion of that fight and Barberena almost KTFO him in the pocket too. Kamaru in the rematch hurt him bad was a borderline knockdown at one point too in the pocket. Leon is just not good in the pocket and his boxing is mediocre.

Leon would get his kicks off on Robbie probably be up a round or 2 but Robbie would force pocket boxing exchanges sooner than later and when he does Leon is getting caught and KOd cold. Leon has good timing on TDs but he isnt getting or controlling Robbie long.

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

I would say so, yes, though it is followed closely by the Woodley era. The current top 10 is Usman, Muhammad, Shavkat, Colby, Maddalena, Burns. Any one of those guys would beat 'second prime' Lawler. Condit and Diaz would get eaten up in the current wrestler-heavy division. Lawler and Hendricks were really basic punchers with terrible gas tanks. Rory was the most well-rounded of the bunch but his fight IQ was questionable and even ability-wise, he would struggle with any one of the guys I just mentioned.

I dont see it the same at all Lawler in his prime beats Usman, Colby, Burns and Muhammad by keeping it standing and having better striking and a lot more power, same for Hendricks. Diaz and Condit beat some of the wrestlers in 5 rounders and I would favor them over JDM in 5 rounders.

Rory had very good fight IQ he just was never the same after the second Lawler fight mentality or physically and was far less durable but I would favor him over Burns, Muhammad, JDM, Colby in his prime and a fight with Usman would be close.

 

[Nova44]

I've posted before about several strikers from that era who would give Leon a big challenge:

• Prime Lawler
• Prime Hendricks (heavy hands & wrestling, could go 5 rounds)
• Prime Wonderboy
• Prime Condit
• Prime, late Strikeforce Nick Diaz who was bigger and a lot better than the corpse of Nate whom Leon fought. He'd come at you with punches and bunces for 5 rounds without tiring.

What about 2006-2008 Thiago Alves? Dude was a monster.

 

[mkt]

What about 2006-2008 Thiago Alves? Dude was a monster.

Yeah, that would be interesting. Edwards would have a height/reach advantage and would surely try to exploit that. But Thiago had nasty leg kicks and could certainly cause problems if he got inside. Even prime Paul Daley would be interesting and more dangerous than most current WW strikers. His striking was pretty basic, but he KO'd quite a few fighters (Larkin, Kampmann, Duane Ludwin,) and had a decision win over a young Masvidal. Edwards might try to go the D1 route against some of those guys. It wouldn't work against prime Robbie (good TDD, especially at WW) and some others, though.