Leon Edwards sees himself battering Nate Diaz at UFC 263: Being tough and durable is not enough to beat me

Looking to stake his claim as the next welterweight title challenger, Leon Edwards is aiming for an emphatic statement against Nate Diaz.

Edwards (18-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) meets Diaz in a five-round fight at UFC 263 on June 12 at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

Consistently overlooked as a potential No. 1 contender, Edwards knows he has to leave no doubt by stopping Diaz (20-12 MMA, 15-10 UFC), which is no easy task.

“I need to go out there and I need to put him away,” Edwards told UFC Arabia. “He’s only been stopped once, and that’s all I need. He’s been stopped. He’s not no robot. He’s not no invincible man. He has been stopped, and I truly believe I will go out there and stop him again – and I cannot wait. My skill set will be too much for him in the standup. On the ground, my strength will be too much for him. And I can’t wait to go out there and let him feel that.”

Leon Edwards plans on making an emphatic statement against Nate Diaz at #UFC263 “I envision going out there and just battering him from pillar to post.”@UFCarabia pic.twitter.com/I0p2k44oEy

— Farah Hannoun (@Farah_Hannoun) May 31, 2021

Edwards’ string of bad luck started when his London main event against Tyron Woodley in March 2020 was canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Things went from bad to worse for the native of Birmingham, England. He had multiple fights get scrapped, and contracted COVID, himself.

He finally returned to the octagon a year later and faced short-notice replacement Belal Muhammad in the UFC Fight Night 187 main event. After a solid first round, Edwards inadvertently poked Muhammad in the eye just seconds into Round 2. Muhammad was unable to continue and the fight was ruled a no contest.

With all that built-up frustration, Edwards is ready to show why he deserves a shot at UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. Diaz has only been finished with strikes once in 2013, and Edwards plans on handing him another stoppage loss.

“I envision going out there and just battering him from pillar to post and getting the stoppage,” Edwards said. “I know he’s a tough, durable guy, and I just don’t think being tough and durable is enough to beat me. I’ve worked hard, and I’ve dedicated myself for a long time, and it’s now time for my results to show. I can’t wait to go out there and prove that.”

Known for his heart, pace and cardio, Diaz often comes on stronger in the latter rounds. But Edwards dismissed the notion a five-round fight gives Diaz the advantage and thinks it just provides him more time to inflict damage.

“I don’t believe so,” Edwards said. “I’ve fought many main events and this is probably my fifth main event that I’m preparing for, so I’ve been here before. I’ve done it. I don’t feel it favors him. I think he just takes more punishment all five rounds, and that’s all I see: Me going out there and putting my hands on him and to put him away. I need to go out there and prove to the world that I deserve the next title shot, and that’s what I’m going out there to do.”