"It was so easy I got bored" - Leon Edwards explains why he got caught by Nate Diaz in final minute of their UFC 263 fight

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Leon Edwards (left), Nate Diaz (right) [Image courtesy of MMAJunkie.com]

Leon Edwards has explained why he got rocked by Nate Diaz in the dying seconds of what was an otherwise dominant performance. 'Rocky' admitted that he got complacent towards the end of the final round because the fight was easier than he expected.

In June 2021, Leon Edwards stepped into the octagon to face fan favourite Nate Diaz. The Brit landed four takedowns in the fight but was caught by a late strike from the American that had him clearly rocked and wobbled on his feet.

'Rocky' weathered the storm and earned a well-deserved unanimous decision victory. Speaking on the latest Blockparty podcast, the 30-year-old claimed he only got caught at the end of the fight because he was "bored":

"29 minutes of schooling him, It was so easy I got bored whilst I was fighting him. Otherwise, let's say if it was first or second round, it never would have landed. The reason why it didn't land is because I was alert and sharp. I thought 'okay, this fight's kinda easy, it's last minute' but then he caught that shot. It's something I'm working on now with my coaches, to stay sharp all the way through."

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'Rocky' is undefeated in his last 10 fights, with his last loss coming in 2015 to current champion Kamaru Usman.

Leon Edwards will step into the octagon for a rematch with 'The Nigerian Nightmare' at UFC 278 in August. The British fighter will aim to become only the second UFC champion from the UK, behind Michael Bisping.

Catch Leon Edwards' interview here:

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Leon Edwards explains why title fight with Kamaru Usman isn't in London

Leon Edwards has waited patiently for a shot at welterweight gold. In March, Dana White finally confirmed that 'Rocky' would be next to face Kamaru Usman for the title, once 'The Nigerian Nightmare' has recovered from surgery.

The bout was recently given a date of UFC 278 on August 20. Almost exactly a month later than the second UFC London Fight Night, which takes place on July 23.

Speaking on The MMA Hour, Edwards was asked if there was any consideration by the UFC to have the title fight be on home soil:

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"Yeah, that was mentioned to me as well, that they were trying to change the O2 [Arena] to a pay-per-view. But to do that you'd need to have it at four in the morning. I did it before when I fought in Manchester. Bisping was defending his belt. It was four or five in the morning, the card was."

The UFC appears to have strict rules when it comes to pay-per-views. Regardless of what country they are being held in, their schedule must fit a peak American viewing audience.

Watch Edwards on The MMA Hour here:

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