"You're still going to get caught" - Michael Bisping says Leon Edwards' KO of Kamaru Usman shows difference between world-class striker and wrestler who learned striking
UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping believes that Kamaru Usman got caught by Leon Edwards' head kick because 'The Nigerian Nightmare' isn't a natural striker.
'Rocky' stunned the world when he defeated Usman at UFC 278 last weekend. Edwards started the bout strongly, landing a surprising takedown on the champion and taking the first round. Usman returned to form and used his elite wrestling to dominate the next three rounds.
Deep into the fifth round, losing 3-1 on the judges' scorecards and staring down the barrel of defeat, the 30-year-old Englishman faked a left hand to catch Usman with a head kick that will go down in MMA history.
Speaking on an episode of the Believe You Me podcast, Bisping dismissed the notion that the finish was lucky. 'The Count' believes that Edwards knew Usman was ducking his head to either side and calculated the perfect opportunity to strike:
"That's the difference between a world class striker, with respect to Kamaru [Usman], I'm not in anyway talking sh*t, and a guy who's added on striking to his wrestling ability. You're still going to get caught in these kinds of tricks and parry shots that aren't there. They're traps... What a f*****g shot. That's what [Leon Edwards] does, he's masterful with the shots."
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Catch the full episode of the podcast here:
Kamaru Usman excited by trilogy bout with Leon Edwards in England
Former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has surprised fans by how well he is handling his loss to Leon Edwards.
Usman, who was undefeated in the UFC prior to his rematch with Edwards, was only one win away from tying Anderson Silva's UFC win-streak record of 16.
MMA fans would have understood had the Nigerian-American ducked away from the limelight and taken some time away to recover. However, Usman has instead appeared in high spirits since his shocking defeat.
In an interview with TMZ Sports, the 35-year-old revealed that he's already excited about the prospect of facing Leon Edwards in England, as many Africans live there:
"We're going to see what date makes sense. It's going to be top of next year and I want to go to England. I've been feeding to go to England, I feel like England is my second home. England is half-Africa. So, it's time to go over there and entertain my English people, and what better story? I mean you couldn't write this any better. I am excited to see what's next and we will definitely figure something out."
Catch Kamaru Usman's TMZ Sports interview here: