Leon Edwards, after losing his UFC welterweight title to Belal Muhammad under challenging conditions, including an unusual fight time, has publicly discussed these factors as reasons for his loss, but retired fighter Matt Brown cautions that such explanations often come across as excuses, regardless of their validity.
Leon Edwards admits he wasn’t at his peak when he lost the UFC welterweight title to Belal Muhammad last July. It was a rough night, no doubt.
Both Edwards and his head coach, Dave Lovell, have opened up about the bizarre conditions surrounding that fight. Imagine walking into the octagon at 5 a.m. local time! Edwards felt sluggish, and Lovell claimed they only saw "30 to 40 percent" of Leon’s true potential.
Retired UFC welterweight Matt Brown gets it. He’s been there, facing all sorts of issues that affected his performance. But airing grievances after the fact? Not the best move.
Brown shared his thoughts on the podcast The Fighter vs. The Writer. He empathizes with Leon, especially since fighting in your home country can mess with your routine. Belal had to adjust too, coming from another country. It’s part of the game.
"You can’t take away from Belal," Brown said. "He fought amazing." Fighters deal with stuff like this all the time. It’s just part of being in the ring.
There’s an old saying: sometimes you have to be your best on your worst night. Brown knows this well. His 15 years in the UFC were filled with challenges outside the cage that impacted his fights.
Yet, no matter how honest Edwards and Lovell are about their struggles, fans and media will see it as excuses. "There’s always a reason why you lose," Brown explained. Speaking it out loud? It becomes an excuse.
In Edwards’ case, fighting at an odd hour may have cost him his belt. Muhammad executed a flawless strategy against him. That loss stings because so much was on the line for Leon.
Brown understands the urge to find reasons for such a loss but believes discussing it publicly isn’t wise. "Leon being the champion and losing, of course he’s going to discount what Belal did," he said.
On Saturday, Edwards faces Sean Brady at a more reasonable time. A win could put him back in title contention; a loss might set him back significantly.
"It’s not do or die," Brown remarked, "but there are huge implications in this fight." Both fighters have something to prove.
Win or lose, they’re knocking on the door of a title shot. That’s how unpredictable this sport is; anything can happen next.
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