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Nate Diaz and Leon Edwards will finally clash in a blockbuster five-round featured bout at UFC 263. This will be the first time a non-title fight has been scheduled for five rounds outside the main event.
29-year-old Leon Edwards has been waiting to move up the welterweight rankings. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant setback in his career progress as Edwards could not travel for fights. When he finally returned to the octagon, his fight with Belal Muhammad, unfortunately, ended in a no-contest.
On the other hand, Nate Diaz is returning to the octagon after a 2-year-long layover. His last fight with the UFC was against Jorge Masvidal for the ceremonial BMF title at UFC 244 on November 2, 2019.
Leon Edwards has emerged as a -450 favorite against +325 underdog Nate Diaz. Most people feel this way because of the fact that age has caught up with the 36-year-old Stockton Slugger, in addition to his octagon inactivity.
However, you can never count an OG of the fight game out. Here are 3 reasons why:
3) Nate Diaz brings relentless pressure, unending cardio, and a granite chin
While Leon Edwards is a patient and precise striker, Nate Diaz is known for applying relentless pressure on his opponents for as long as required. This is something we can see in any Nate Diaz fight from the past.
One might guess that Nate Diaz's aggressive style has the downside of running into shots, and that guess is absolutely correct. However, Nate Diaz has a chin that's as strong as they come. Diaz has shown the ability to take shots while dishing damage on multiple occasions. Furthermore, the amount of time he has had away from the octagon would have positively affected his recovery from all the damage his chin has taken over the years.
2) Nate Diaz is exceptional on the ground, especially off his back
Nate Diaz has displayed outstanding ability on the ground throughout his career, owing to his black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Diaz can transition innovatively from one position to another in ways that force his opponents to tap.
What is interesting to note is that this sits perfectly in blend with Leon Edwards' style on the ground. While Edwards prefers to remain in control while on top of his opponents after scoring a takedown, Diaz tends to twist and turn off his back to execute unexpected submissions.
1) Nate Diaz neutralizes Leon Edwards' reach advantage in the 170-pound division
Leon Edwards is generally larger and taller than his opponents in the welterweight division. Thus, he is able to maintain distance and remain safe from most strikes while executing his own.
But that will not be the case when he steps inside the octagon against the Stockton native. Nate Diaz, in fact, holds a reach advantage of two inches over his UFC 263 opponent. With his unorthodox yet extremely effective boxing combos, Nate Diaz might be able to put Leon Edwards in a situation that the latter has not yet been in. After all, experience matters.
