Din Thomas doesn’t assume Leon Edwards has the guts of a fighter.
This previous Saturday, Edwards confronted off with Sean Brady in the principle occasion of UFC London the place issues went horribly for the previous champion. Brady dominated “Rocky” for a lot of the battle after which turned the primary man to complete Edwards, submitting him with a mounted guillotine choke within the fourth spherical. However Thomas, who was within the nook for Brady on Saturday, knew the battle was over lengthy earlier than the faucet. He says it was over the second Edwards shot for a takedown within the third spherical.
“When he did that, I obtained quiet and I checked out John Marquez, the top coach, and mentioned, ‘Did he simply attempt to take Sean down?’” Thomas mentioned on Anthony Smith’s podcast. “After which when he obtained reversed, John was like, ‘Man, we might simply play checkers and we might actually play chess proper now as a result of we don’t must do something.’ We simply knew at that time, the battle was over. When Leon shot that takedown, he confirmed his hand that he didn’t wish to be there anymore and that was a wrap. I couldn’t imagine it.”
It was a devastating loss for Edwards who’s now on the primary dropping streak of his profession and properly outdoors the title dialog. Even perhaps worse is how these two losses have appeared. Thomas says Edwards’s dropping streak revealed a harsh actuality for the previous champion: he doesn’t have the guts for this.
“I don’t need this to be disrespectful towards Leon, as a result of I nonetheless imagine that ability for ability, his physique kind and all that, that he was an amazing champion,” Thomas mentioned. “He’s an amazing fighter. He’s nonetheless top-five materials. However I simply don’t assume that Leon is, in his coronary heart, an actual true fighter.
“And I say that by way of Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier. These guys will battle you in a parking zone. I believe he’s an athlete and I believe he’s a performer. I believe he’s inventive. I believe within the fitness center, he most likely eats up everyone within the fitness center. Tremendous magical. I simply assume when the lights come on and it’s time for him to actually battle — regardless of not being a real fighter, he was nonetheless that good. He was nonetheless that good and nonetheless capable of beat everyone.”
It’s a harsh evaluation from Thomas, however not the primary time he’s levied it at Edwards. In Edwards’ second battle with Kamaru Usman, Thomas was on the UFC broadcast and famous that Edwards appeared mentally defeated, shortly earlier than Edwards scored a miraculous last-minute comeback knockout. There was no such comeback for Edwards this day trip, and with a rising pattern dimension, Thomas believes that even Edwards’s crew is aware of he’s talking the reality.
“I believe they even acknowledge that Leon at instances isn’t a real fighter at coronary heart,” Thomas mentioned. “They usually need him to be, that’s why they’re protecting of him. That’s why the coach is like, “Come on, son! Don’t let him bully you!’ As a result of they know that if he had somewhat bit extra grit in him and had the flexibility to chew iron, that he would most likely nonetheless be world champ. …
“And to be honest, I didn’t have it both. That is how I do know what it appears like as a result of I didn’t have it both. When issues obtained exhausting for me, I resorted to pulling guard, too. I resorted to capturing takedowns and pulling guard, so I do know what it appears like.”
