5 things Leon Edwards must do to beat Kamaru Usman

#4. Counter Usman's jab

Kamaru Usman's striking has improved leaps and bounds. The current pound-for-pound best UFC fighter has exhibited his growth by knocking his foes unconscious in a manner he could never have done before. However, Usman focuses almost entirely on his jab and right cross as a striker. While he's an apt stance-switcher, his foundation is as an orthodox striker. Leon Edwards will have to counter the threat of his foe's power-jab.

He can do so in multiple ways. First, since 'Rocky' operates from a southpaw stance, he's in open alignment with any orthodox foe. Not only will he change the alignment, but his lead hand will be in the way of Usman's jab, enabling him to either trap the Nigerian's jab or slap it down and counter the jab over the top. If Usman tries switching stances, Edwards will do as he's always done against southpaws who attempt to jab him by using a cross-counter over the top.

The cross-counter will work well against Usman because not only does the Nigerian step in deep to jab, potentially exposing him to counterpunches, but Edwards often takes an outside angle before throwing his cross-counters, allowing him to crack opponents on their open side.

This will be further magnified by Edwards fighting from a longer range, forcing Usman to overextend his jab and creating an opening for another Edwards counter for the jab: the slip-uppercut.

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#3. Use his anti-wrestling

Since his initial matchup with Usman, Leon Edwards has improved his defensive wrestling in anticipation of a rematch with 'The Nigerian Nightmare'. When defending takedowns, Leon Edwards makes it a point to counter opponents before they can secure stronger positions. Usman is primarily a clinch-based wrestler who digs for one underhook and an overhook before pinning his foes against the fence to initiate chain-wrestling sequences.

To counter Usman's specialty as a clinch wrestler, Edwards developed a fearsome clinch game of his own. Whenever an opponent tries to trap him in the clinch, 'Rocky' immediately scoots his hips back to deny them the chance of dropping to his hips for a double-leg takedown. Furthermore, he shoves the top of his head against his opponent's jaw to break their posture.

If he can help it, Edwards will not linger in this position. He quickly turns at an angle, forcing his opponent to step in with him. However, they unknowingly step into the path of a sharp elbow as Edwards quickly turns into them with a hard elbow to break the clinch. Against Usman, doing so will be of extreme importance due to the Nigerian's tendency to seek the clinch against foes he cannot outstrike.