Legendary boxing coach Teddy Atlas has given his thoughts on how Leon Edwards was able to take away Kamaru Usman’s invincibility.
Last weekend at UFC 285, Leon Edwards was able to defeat Kamaru Usman via majority decision. It marked the second time he was able to do so, following on from his head kick knockout win last summer.
With the win, Edwards was able to establish himself as the UFC welterweight champion. Usman, meanwhile, has to go back to the drawing board following three years of him dominating the division.
Many have wondered whether or not Usman would’ve had this kind of fall if he hadn’t suffered the KO. The aforementioned Teddy Atlas recently gave his opinion on how ‘Rocky’ was able to make this happen.
“Losing and especially getting knocked out, when you are the king… the way Usman was knocked out, that takes away that aura of invincibility. And I think that that was at play here, I really do…Usman getting that cloak of invincibility that was about him, that was gone… It not only affects you how you feel, but it affects opponents, how they feel, they don’t look at you the same. “
Atlas explains Usman’s mentality
“Winning the title gives legitimacy in the mind of the guy who wins, in this case, Edwards. It just gives legitimacy in his mind of things he was not sure of before.”
Quotes via Sportskeeda
‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ made it crystal clear that he wants to go back to the drawing board and continue to be a contender. With a division as tough as this one, though, it’ll be interesting to see how that goes for him.
Do you agree with Teddy Atlas? Who do you think Kamaru Usman should face when he returns to the Octagon? Let us know in the comments, BJPENN Nation!
