By Farah Hannoun |
March 10, 2021 8:00 am
Leon Edwards looked to extend his incredible winning streak when he faced a former champion.
In just his second time competing in the U.S., Edwards took on former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in the main event of UFC on ESPN 4, which took place in July 2019.
Edwards was able to take dos Anjos down to the mat early, controlling him for the majority of the opening round. The Brazilian was landing effective low kicks, while Edwards stayed long, throwing sniping elbows that eventually cut dos Anjos. The two continued to trade as Edwards was starting to really mark up dos Anjos with crisp combinations.
Over the course of five rounds, Edwards was able to defend almost all of dos Anjos’ takedown attempts and continued to punish him with elbows. He was able to outmuscle him in the clinch and remained unfazed by dos Anjos’ pressure, as the Brazilian never stopped moving forward. It was a composed and well-rounded performance by Edwards, who extended his winning streak to eight with the clearcut decision win.
Edwards (18-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) returns to action this week when he faces Belal Muhammad (18-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) in the main event of UFC Fight Night 187, which takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Before he faces Muhammad, relive Edwards’ win over dos Anjos in the video above.
Breaking, Leon Edwards, Rafael dos Anjos, UFC Fight Night 187, UFC on ESPN+ 4, video, News, UFC