Is Leon Edwards a kickboxer? Taking a closer look at 'Rocky's' fighting style
Leon Edwards is the reigning UFC welterweight champion, scheduled to make his third title defense against Belal Muhammad later tonight in the UFC 304 main event in front of a crowd of his English faithful. The pair's matchup is widely regarded as a clash of styles.
The striking advantage is clearly in 'Rocky's' corner, while Muhammad holds, or at least he should, the wrestling advantage. But is the matchup as black and white as some are considering it? Is Edwards even a kickboxer or is there more to the champion's skill-set?
While the Englishman appears to operate predominantly as a striker, perhaps a more nuanced answer is available when considering his background.
Leon Edwards performances in the cage
A glimpse at the Englishman's record reveals curious details about Leon Edwards' fighting style. He is not a prolific finisher, having only ever scored seven knockouts in 22 wins and just three submissions. The rest of his 12 wins have come via decision due to his conservative approach.
Check out 'Rocky's' knockout of Seth Baczynski:
However, his finishes, whenever they do come, have been memorable. His first-ever knockout in the UFC was an 8-second stoppage over Seth Baczynski, while his third knockout in the promotion was a legendary head kick against Kamaru Usman in one of the greatest comebacks of all time.
Is Leon Edwards a kickboxer?
Leon Edwards is not formally a kickboxer. He never competed in the sport, and when he first dipped his toes into combat sports, he did not start out in traditional, striking-based martial arts. Instead, 'Rocky' is an example of the modern approach, as he started directly in MMA.
His mother enrolled him at an MMA gym at 17 years old to steer him away from a path of crime. Thus, Edwards isn't a kickboxer. He is a mixed martial artist. More specifically, he is a generalist who is competent at every facet of the sport but excels and, therefore, favors striking as his main weapon inside the octagon.
This has often led to him outstriking everyone he comes across. However, he is a highly capable wrestler, becoming the first fighter to ever take Kamaru Usman down, while also subsequently outwrestling Colby Covington, with both men being far more credentialed wrestlers than him.