Kamaru Usman has a clear game plan for his rematch against Leon Edwards.
Usman is expected to face Edwards on July 2 at International Fight Week in a very intriguing bout. They fought in 2015 with Usman winning by decision. Ahead of the rematch, Edwards has claimed all Usman will do is try and wrestle him as he won’t want to strike with him. For the champ, he says he is fine to do that as he will go in there and just wrestle the Brit to get the win.
“He said that if I step in there with him, I won’t be striking the way that I am now, so I’ll oblige. I’ll give it to you, I will not strike,” he told MMA Junkie. “I am coming in to wrestle, I’m going to take him down, I’m going to beat on his face until he quits so don’t expect me to strike at all. No, I’m going to wrestle, don’t expect me to strike, don’t expect me to strike since I’m not a good striker. Don’t expect me to strike, I’m coming to take him down and I’m going to beat his face.”
Currently, Usman is healing his hand from surgery but he has made it known he is targeting a return in July and Edwards would be his next fight.
Kamaru Usman is coming off a decision win over Colby Covington back at UFC 268 in November to defend his belt for the fifth time. However, he has four title defenses against two opponents as he beat Covington and Jorge Masvidal, twice each while his other was a TKO win over Gilbert Burns.
Should Usman beat Edwards in July he has said he wants to box Canelo Alvarez later this year. However, that seems highly unlikely as he is known as a wrestler while Alvarez is the best pound-for-pound boxer.
