Ben Askren gives reasonable prediction for Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman trilogy

Ahead of the highly-anticipated Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman trilogy clash this weekend, Ben Askren shared his somewhat sensible prediction of the matchup given how things played out in their last outing.

'Funky' was once considered one of the greatest welterweights on the planet and wasn't too far away from a potential fight with 'The Nigerian Nightmare' during his time competing in the UFC. Although his career in the octagon didn't go to plan, the wrestler is still arguably one of the best ever in his division during his prime.

In a post on social media, Ben Askren delved into the UFC 286 headliner and questioned whether Kamaru Usman would be a little more reserved this time around before making his final prediction for the matchup.

"What did Leon Edwards acquire in that last fight? What he acquired was hope. The hope is that he can put Usman down at any point in time, even in the fifth round when he's exhausted... Will Usman be more gun-shy because he took a kick to the dome last time? Maybe, maybe not. Usman was clearly inevitably winning that fight prior to the finish. That being said, I am gonna go with Usman by decision. I think Leon has a significantly better chance than he did last time, but I think Usman's wrestling will be just a little too much."

Ben Askren hasn't seen eye-to-eye with Usman in the past and the two were once involved in a confrontation backstage prior to the African's huge win over Tyron Woodley—a long-term friend and teammate of the former Bellator 170lb champ.

Check out what the retired MMA fighter had to say regarding the welterweight title bout at UFC 286 in the video below.

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What's next after Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3?

Both men have a lot on the line this Saturday and will be hoping to walk away with UFC gold around their waist when all is said and done, but what's next in line for the two?

Despite having an active division filled with a number of viable contenders, a rumored clash against Conor McGregor will be welcomed by the pair, meaning the winner could take a short break from the cage in wait for the Irishman.

Kamaru Usman has teased a possible move up in weight which could still be on the cards for the future Hall-of-Famer, whilst Leon Edwards has his eyes on revenge against Jorge Masvidal, should 'Gamebred' get a win next time out.