After seeing Leon Edwards come up brief towards Belal Muhammad, coach Dave Lovell want to see his fighter bounce again towards rising Irish contender Ian Machado Garry.
Edwards’ uninspiring efficiency towards ‘Keep in mind The Identify’ at UFC 304 cost him the win and the welterweight world title. Contemplating how decisively issues performed out, ‘Rocky’ and his workforce acknowledge that a right away rematch is a fairly tall ask.
As a substitute, Edwards’ longtime coach believes the ex-champ can get proper again into the combo with a win over the division’s No. 7 ranked contender.
“I’d wish to see Leon struggle Ian Garry,” Lovell stated in an interview with Submission Radio. “Clearly we will preserve it British based mostly, both Eire or over right here,” Lovell stated. “Clearly the little background story we had going again final yr is a — he’s on the lookout for a scalp. Now Leon’s not champion, he might imagine properly, he’s a very good scalp for him to get to clearly march on to get a championship belt or title shot.
“For Leon, if Leon beats him, that then places him behind the queue after which possibly if they need yet another earlier than he fights Belal, if Belal’s nonetheless bought the belt, properly that’ll be the long run transfer, the long run plan” (h/t MMA News).
Now may very well be the proper time for Leon Edwards and Ian Machado Garry to settle issues contained in the octagon
Apart from their standing as high 10 contenders, Leon Edwards and Ian Machado Garry have a little bit of historical past with each other.
Final yr, ‘The Future’ claimed that he was kicked out of Edwards’ gymnasium, Group Renegade in Birmingham, England, and accused Edwards of feeling insecure by having a possible future title challenger coaching alongside him. Nevertheless, Team Renegade quickly disputed Garry’s statement, revealing that the Irish up-and-comer was merely not contributing to the tradition of their gymnasium.
That was seemingly corroborated by each Sean Brady and Veronica Hardy who revealed in separate interviews that Garry had been booted from a number of gyms over time resulting from poor etiquette.
Including gasoline to the fireplace was Paddy Pimblett who went on to say that Edwards had once KO’d Garry during a training session.
Garry seemingly confirmed the rumor in a video on Instagram following a visit to the native hospital:
“Anybody watch the Leon Edwards [vs. Kamaru] Usman struggle? Anybody know the way that went? Probably the greatest head kicks within the UFC—Yeah, I may need felt what that kick felt like…”
