'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Nate Diaz will lock horns with Leon Edwards in a blockbuster five-round featured bout at UFC 263. The welterweight showdown will be the first time a non-title fight has been scheduled for five rounds outside the main event.
Britain's Leon Edwards will come into the fight as a massive favorite. If he manages to score a victory over Nate Diaz, 'Rocky' will secure his spot on the priority list of Kamaru Usman's potential title challengers.
However, Nate Diaz should never be counted out. The Stockton native is a dangerous opponent for anyone, no matter what the odds might say. Just ask Conor McGregor.
On that note, let's explore three reasons why Leon Edwards will beat Nate Diaz and two reasons he may lose.
Trending
Why Leon Edwards would likely win at UFC 263:
3) The numbers favor Leon Edwards
It's no secret that the vast majority of fight fans will be rooting for a Nate Diaz victory at UFC 263. After all, 'The Stockton Slugger' has always been one of the biggest fan favorites inside the octagon.
But according to some key statistics, UFC 263 will belong to Leon Edwards.
Let's start with the obvious. Leon Edwards will enjoy a youth advantage, as he's still in his prime at 29 years old, while 36-year-old Nate Diaz is approaching his twilight. In a classic matchup between an up-and-comer and an aging star, the younger fighter usually gets the better of the veteran.
Leon Edwards is also pegged as a heavy favorite across multiple betting sites. Oddshark.com has listed the British fighter as the -425 favorite, meaning betting analysts believe Edwards has an 80.95% chance of winning.
2) Nate Diaz's health woes
Nate Diaz vs. Leon Edwards was initially scheduled as the co-main event for UFC 262. The highly-anticipated matchup was postponed after Nate Diaz suffered an undisclosed injury.
The nature and severity of Nate Diaz's injury is still unknown to the public. However, the fact that it forced one of the toughest fighters in the UFC to withdraw from the initial bout should indicate that it's nothing to scoff at.
Hopefully, Nate Diaz is back in top shape on fight night. But sustaining an injury in the lead-up to the fight was never a good omen.
1) Momentum vs. inactivity
Leon Edwards is white-hot as he's riding an eight-fight win streak, his no-contest with Belal Muhammad aside.
Nate Diaz, on the other hand, will be coming off a long layoff. He last saw octagon action at UFC 244 in November 2019. On top of that, his last win came in August 2019.
Granted, Diaz has proven time and again that he can perform well after returning from a long absence. This time, though, he'll have to do it against a surging star with a ton of momentum behind him.
Why Nate Diaz could pull off an upset at UFC 263:
#2 Nate Diaz has a better ground game
It's often forgotten that Nate Diaz possesses an elite ground game because he prefers to fight on his feet more often than not. The 36-year-old is a protege of revered Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach Cesar Gracie and a black belt in the martial art.
In comparison, Leon Edwards is a purple belt, a rank lower than his opponent. This could be a significant factor as 'Rocky' might hesitate to deploy his wrestling due to his opponent's advantage in BJJ.
If the fight shifts to the ground, Nate Diaz could out grapple Leon Edwards on the mat. Throughout his career, Diaz has eleven victories by submission, while Edwards only has three.
#1 Nate Diaz's jaw of steel
There's no denying that Nate Diaz has one of the strongest chins in MMA, point-blank. The TUF 5 (The Ultimate Fighter) winner went to war with some of the heaviest hitters in the UFC and held on to his consciousness.
Nate Diaz took some heavy punches from Conor McGregor in a total of seven rounds across two fights. Diaz won the first fight by submission and lost the second one via majority decision. But the Irishman wasn't able to put Diaz away.
Against knockout artist Jorge Masvidal, Nate Diaz ate some power punches, kicks, elbows, and knees that would have put away most fighters. Bloodied and battered, Diaz lost to 'Gamebred' by TKO, but only because the doctor disallowed him to continue.
If Diaz survived massive blows from McGregor and Masvidal, he should be able to take anything Edwards dishes out.
