What is next for Leon Edwards? Can he regain the belt?

Leon Edwards

Leon Edwards

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I think Leon should get an immediate rematch due to who he beat for the belt and his defences.

I would like to see Leon fight

1) Belal
2)Usman - great history
3) Wonderboy
4)MVP
5)Ian
 
1: not for a long time , super one sided fight, enough with the rematches for the love of God.

2: They've fought 3 times , the last fight being lop sided, no thanks.

3: Old and too low a rank, too easy of a fight for Leon.

4: Coming off a loss , is 37 , MVP should have fun matchups. Put him in there with a lower ranked action fighter, someone like Khaos Williams.

5: Only good option you listed. This is the fight to make along with Shavkat vs Belal.

But yeah , id personally say it's almost certain he at least fights for the belt again, unless this loss really starts gutting his confidence.
 
Sorry, I doubt Leon will get an insta rematch, it kind of hurts since Garbrandt received one without a single title defence but with that logic every champ deserves once they lose the belt which would be terrible.

Leon vs Ian
JDM vs Usman
While Belal defends vs Shav
 
I think he CAN win the belt back. I thought he won rounds 3 and 5 against Belal, despite it clearly being an off night where he just didn't get up for it.

However, I don't think the UFC will have any interest in him being champion again. He's neither exciting in the cage or on the mic.

They will make him put in a LOT of work to get back to that position.

I think the obvious next fight for him is an MVP or Ian Garry.
 
Goldentrophy said:
Sorry, I doubt Leon will get an insta rematch, it kind of hurts since Garbrandt received one without a single title defence but with that logic every champ deserves once they lose the belt which would be terrible.

Leon vs Ian
JDM vs Usman
While Belal defends vs Shav
Click to expand...
Shavkat did'nt fight for too long time
Shavkat vs JDM for the number one contender
Belal wait and enjoy his belt
Edwards vs Garry
 
Urluberluu said:
Shavkat did'nt fight for too long time
Shavkat vs JDM for the number one contender
Belal wait and enjoy his belt
Edwards vs Garry
Click to expand...
You're crazy if you think the UFC will just allow Belal to sit and chill with the belt.

Dana wants Belal away from the championship as soon as possible.

I'm surprised he didn't line up his first defense in the post fight presser.
 
No, Leon does not deserve an instant rematch. The fight was basically a domination from Belal. It wouldn't surprise me if most people scored the fight 4-1 for Belal with Leon winning only the 3rd round. Leon only has 2 defenses: Usman and Covington. That is not worthy of an instant rematch. If Belal and Leon fight a third time I doubt the fight goes any differently.

Leon does not like being pressured. My concern for Leon is, is his weakness now the same game plan everyone is going to do on him? Lead with the jab and continuous pressure against the cage. It worked for Usman twice until he got kicked in the head and now it worked for Belal. It is time for new contenders in the WW division that have not had a title shot. You have Ian, JDM and Shavkat in the wings.
 
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OldBoy91 said:
I think he CAN win the belt back. I thought he won rounds 3 and 5 against Belal, despite it clearly being an off night where he just didn't get up for it.

However, I don't think the UFC will have any interest in him being champion again. He's neither exciting in the cage or on the mic.

They will make him put in a LOT of work to get back to that position.

I think the obvious next fight for him is an MVP or Ian Garry.
Click to expand...

I'm assuming you value damage over control time? Because round 5 Leon was losing clearly until he turned over and got Belal in the face.
 
Darkavius said:
I'm assuming you value damage over control time? Because round 5 Leon was losing clearly until he turned over and got Belal in the face.
Click to expand...
Yeah you have to go with damage imo. Control time should only factor if the damage done is even between both guys.
 
590746.jpg
 
OldBoy91 said:
Yeah you have to go with damage imo. Control time should only factor if the damage done is even between both guys.
Click to expand...
Nah, I'm pretty sure that damage is supposed to be impactful to the point of fight ending, not just visceral damage like bleeding. For instance if Belal got rocked, wobbled, or dropped by those elbows or something.


And control time, from what I've come to understand, is part of effective grappling. Not to be confused with the third tier of judging which is "octagon control," controlling the center. Obtaining and maintaining position is grappling though
 
Mohawk Banditó said:
Nah, I'm pretty sure that damage is supposed to be impactful to the point of fight ending, not just visceral damage like bleeding. For instance if Belal got rocked, wobbled, or dropped by those elbows or something.


And control time, from what I've come to understand, is part of effective grappling. Not to be confused with the third tier of judging which is "octagon control," controlling the center. Obtaining and maintaining position is grappling though
Click to expand...

I'm of the opinion that if strikes have to be close to fight ending, or clearly damaging to be considered inpactful, grappling needs to be scored in the same way. So, close submission attempts and that sort of thing. Holding somebody in place is none of those things.

I think the end of the round swayed it for Leon due to the damage he did, which clearly showed on Belal's face by the end. Octagon control as I understand it is a secondary scoring criteria that comes below effective striking, grappling and damage.
 
OldBoy91 said:
I'm of the opinion that if strikes have to be close to fight ending, or clearly damaging to be considered inpactful, grappling needs to be scored in the same way. So, close submission attempts and that sort of thing. Holding somebody in place is none of those things.

I think the end of the round swayed it for Leon due to the damage he did, which clearly showed on Belal's face by the end. Octagon control as I understand it is a secondary scoring criteria that comes below effective striking, grappling and damage.
Click to expand...
Oh, I don't mean that they don't count as impactful, and they certainly were more than anything Belal had done. The way I've seem it is: Any effective grappling/striking is always gaining points, just gaining them at a faster rate the closer that either is to immediately ending the fight as opposed to their cumulative effect. To this end, Belal had gained like 4.5 minutes of low level effectivity, and then Leon's elbows not being close to fight ending is still a much higher rate, it's not as high up the scale as to overrule all of Belal's previous scoring, imo

But I guess this is why they're constantly trying to redefine and clarify the rules
 
Honestly TS, one of the worst takes I have seen in awhile; I disagree with everything. In no world does Leon's lack luster performance deserve a rematch. Leon has to earn a title shot, like Belal did. He has to beat top contenders, not washed up journeymen. To summarize:

1) Belal - Belal just dominated Leon, no need to see them fight again.
2)Usman - great history. Usman is old and on a 3 fight losing streak
3) Wonderboy - 41 years old and has lost 3 out of his last 4.
4)MVP - old and coming off a loss
5)Ian - yes, the only name on this list that makes sense.

Other possibilities: Jack Della Maddalena, Sean Brady, Joaquin Buckley
 
He has to beat Ian Garry or the Shaved Cat in an impressive way and he could have another title shot next year
 
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