https://youtube.com/watch?v=BonzBT209ZQ
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thank you okay gentlemen you both know the rules you both know what I expect protect yourself at all times follow my instruction at all times if I ask for a break I expect a good clean break if I hard fight fair fight clean if you want to touch gloves do so now well there was a lackluster bump of gloves there from Leon Edwards off it out by Donald cowboy Cerrone Leon Rocky Edwards against the veteran campaigner Donald cowboy Cerrone oh there’s the body kick I felt like cowboy was hurt from that early I feel like the knee connected to the solar plexus he looked a level change like he did against Robbie Lawler but he moved on to the nice outside low kick I had the pleasure of going out to Birmingham and watching Leon Edwards in Camp and boy did he look good very thick striking ground game just as good as well Dan and he’s really enjoying this opportunity he doesn’t seem phased At All by the main event responsibilities really seeing this as the key to opening up his career towards the higher echelons of the welterweight division the thing he kept saying all week is that this doesn’t feel any different to any other fight week he’s just doing a few more interviews that’s exactly right it just goes to show how well he’s taking it in his stride he feels very confident but that’s partly because well maybe because he’s very prepared for it but partly because he feels ready for it this is his opportunity this is the fight he’s been calling for now interestingly clinched up against the fence he’s trying to collapse that lead leg that that knee Shield that cowboy is using at the moment Leon Edwards actually looking to probably ground this fight and see if he can take top position good uppercuts some blood already from the eye of cowboy I think the knee got through nice elbow [Applause] Edward’s saying that a decision won’t be enough tonight he really needs to make a statement here cowboy with the spinning attack he’s pushing forward punches before shorts Leon Edwards Carmen poised coiled like a spring nice outside looking for cowboy again this might be the first time in a few years Dan we’ve seen Leon Edwards healthy coming into the Octagon just before the sapota fight he got chickenpox and if anyone heard any of the Robert Whittaker interviews about just how debilitating that is for an adult it will put some perspective there for you good head position he came out and fought still got the win against a very tough German fighter nice nice knees to the midsection from Leon Edwards great head position as well Cowboy initiating the clinch this time few more tones to Cowboys face with that injury in the elbow that followed nice work here by Edwards early Cowboys going to draw in all of his experience now look at this of his veteran techniques he’s wrapped the head let’s see what cowboy does with this wipes the blood from his eye and pushes forward not discouraged by a little Vino expect a body kick from Leon Edwards Edwards is deceivingly big I think it’s that it’s very heavily muscled up top down and very v-like in his physique absolutely nice straight right to the midsection from cowboy I think they may have re-measured the fighters as well before I got to that tail of the tape Edwards is in fact the taller fighter there’s the head kick from Cowboy came too wide for Leon Edwards and he blocked it pouring at the lead hand this is something that we saw in the Vicente UK fight he paused at the lead hand to open up the body kick switch now to Orthodox cowboy has such an incredible catalog of finishes whether it be from that head kick or indeed from a submission oh Cowboy ate that well and pushes forward [Applause] so fast is Leon Edwards the later this bike gets the better it is for cowboy Leon Edwards got a lot of third round finishes but Cowboy gets better as the fight goes on well he told us that he thought that Rocky would come out quick try and take him out blast him out I think his words were in the opening round incredibly focused his Cowboy here waiting on the attack of Leon Edwards lots of faints from Edwards standing his ground confidently powerful inside low kick Cowboys gotta watch reach him for them Leon Edwards will faint and throw up high the Edwards Camp wants to put cowboy on the back foot I very much saw that in the sparring that he was partaking in in the gym he did it very well against hispiring Partners but Cowboy is a completely different Kepler fish oh nice left hand beautiful footwork as well he’s been working with a new padman for this one Henry a Muay Thai practitioner [Music] so let’s take a look at this beautiful body shot there there was a body kick twitch to a knee and then the knee and the clinch from Leon Edwards was the thing that opened up the cotton Cowboy which is quite a deep cut fortunately it’s to the side of the eye so it won’t affect Cowboys Vision but that is a deep cut so a bloodied and battered Donald cowboy Cerrone steps out for round number two you ready he’s been here many times before however Rocky assumes the center of the Octagon very quickly Dan yeah runs straight across John a show of dominance there a show of control of the space but you can never count Cowboy out he’s a tricky character he disguises his high kick very well as well Rick story Matt Brown will tell you about that yes indeed that’s still one of my favorite combinations in all of fighting against Rick’s story Edwards is doing a good job of nice body kick he’s doing a good job of jamming Cowboy as Cowboy moves forward he’s jamming in with a jab or with a forearm he’s stopping that forward momentum that was a nice body kick from Cowboy return by Leon Edwards oh nice elbows working that cut laser focus here from Edwards showing all the weapons in his Armory tonight he looks so loose as well yeah it does not look like this Main Event spot has affected him as we were talking about earlier Dan he said same bus same walk same octagon a few more interviews a few more interviews and I really enjoyed the way that he broke that down it’s as difficult as you want to make it sometimes good work by Cowboy working to the outside of the lead hand again looking to probably oh nice level change yeah he saw the movement of Edwards looking to cut that angle and move away but he grabbed him precisely and now he’s forcing him up against the fence this is where the wisdom of the older fighter comes into play knowing how to manage his conditioning and knowing how to manage the octagon I believe he came out early and tried to take down Medeiros as well then yes in early exchanges watch his eyes Leon Edwards trying to trying to dig an underhook in here Cowboy Barry in his head but that cut is leaking painting the canvas red strong corner for Edwards with Tom Breeze in there and his brother Fabian that is a lot of blood and once again Edwards is honing in on that eye beautiful knee to the midsection again works for a body kick halfway through round number two beautiful right hand from Cowboy there is taking up to gas mark five all again slightly low there with that body kick oh he got caught there though rocked by the right hand of cowboy Edwards told me he was interested to see how the two different styles of kickboxing matched up I pose the same question to Cowboys that I hadn’t even thought about it kick to kicker punch is a punch right Cowboy working that that’s a hot sidekick to the midsection maybe trying to use that as a maybe a range finder maybe a distance keeper for someone so quick Leon Edwards hands down confident in the speed of his head movement to get him out of trouble working that elbow every time they break the clinch Cowboy coming in with added motivation he has a son on the way very very soon indeed Jackson [Applause] again with the body kick nice flurry there from Cerrone look at the close the space down now sportsmanship there from Cerrone stepping back recognizing before the referee that it’s straight low see there it was a tip to the midsection that just fell slightly low Edward’s reacting there I kind of look glanced away but warned by the referee for his conduct Six Gun Gibson’s trying to tease him a little bit from outside of the octagon and Leon Edwards as he was walking towards they just made eye contact and he uh he expressed his feelings towards him shall we say [Applause] well Cowboys expressing that left leg at the moment right into the ribs of Edwards nice knee to follow up yeah good level change again look at this strength from Leon Edwards with the balance from cowboy who took a knee to the midsection again they’re gonna be super moment we just got a head kick as well when they broke whilst talking to the referee Leon Edwards claimed that cowboy grabbed the hold of his Club there well he needs to stay concentrated Dan he needs to ignore all of the stuff on the periphery yeah because this is the biggest fight of his life and cowboys getting back into it after having a little bit of a wobble earlier so as you can see here as they broke the clinch cowboy was holding onto the cuff of the club you can see fingers down that’s very Tim Kennedy Joel Romero that’s a trick that’s been used a few times in the past a lot of the time people get away with it though but it was a it’s a veteran trick you ready Bring It On what’s interesting is that Leon was immediately distracted and looked at the referee so Cowboy knows that he’s not entirely focused partly probably because he feels very comfortable in there but partly because Cowboy is getting inside his head a little bit you know the team have already got a reaction out of him oh beautiful work from Leon Edwards the left hand found a home Edward switching up his stances looking to counter the attacks of cowboy who comes through with that signature attack that he does so well switching up the levels this is what he was doing against Robbie Lawley he was waiting for that first attack especially if he knows someone that’s got that single punch knockout power he waits for them to throw he allows them to get that first shot out and then he follows them back with a flurry and punishes them for it and that shows now that the Cowboys confidence is on the rise like I said the later in this fight he gets the more comfortable Cowboy feels he’s a slow starter as is Leon Edwards we haven’t seen Edwards over five rounds but he’s been doing a lot of work with velocity building some good scientific data it’s a place that Anthony Joshua visits so he’s in good hands nice faint of the body kick there from Leon Edwards showing Cowboys intentions seeing what his reaction is going to be Edward’s happy to work on the outside at the moment Danny started off the fight very much come on in the center of the Octagon what an uppercut from cowboy [Applause] foreign there again a nice combination using the body and the head as a Target great punching combinations from Cowboy but that uppercut was a stinger really really good work straight through the guard again the variety in Cowboys attack just shows how long he’s been contending for again the single shot and he chases it back again would you class Cowboys a momentum fighter then yeah absolutely absolutely and interestingly he starts off with very little momentum in the fight and needs it to build over the fight which is why a lot of people like to try and catch him cold like to try and put the pressure on early but Leon Edwards also he’s not really a quick starter obviously he’s got the Eight Second knockout over Seth buginski but the majority of his fights he’s into the third round before he does his best work now we’re into the third round knowing he’s got two more two more rounds to go let’s see if he steps the pace up here or he saves it for the the uh the championship rounds as we’re calling the main event rounds in this in this circumstance it would be a maiden voyage into the fourth round for Leon Edwards as Cowboy shoots in once more so much experience behind it down four for the wec lightweight title twice I know I keep referencing the Robbie Lawler fight but that was Cowboy against a South Pole that’s that’s very fast and very powerful like Leon Edwards now Leon switched to Orthodox giving Cowboy a different look but a lot of the time when Cowboy is is breaking the clinch on his terms he’s the one that’s Landing the elbows as of right now he’s initiating the clinch but it’s Leon Edwards that’s breaking it and Landing the elbows again initiates but watch this does Leon Edwards break the clinch with an elbow again or is Cowboy gonna take the initiative again there with the elbow from Leon Edwards 2017 wasn’t the best year in Cowboys career 2016 was outstanding but he’s back on track in 2018 with that round one TKO over Yancey mediros will he be able to extend that and make history tonight here in Singapore John Gooden with Dan Hardy in commentary some talking going on in the clinch here I’d like to know what was said between the two fighters there’s been plenty said this week already head kicks their own I expect Leon Edwards to start shrinking out the way of that and punishing Cowboy for it well Edward set his stand out early and just kind of set after their media rounds that we’re not going to be friends I you know you’re going to take everything that I want potentially so I don’t know how we’re gonna be friends and that that was the end of that but Cowboy really took umbrage to it and we’ve seen the reaction since [Music] Edwards with a little flare hands down hands wide all right that’s nice very fast I got Cowboys attention oh but he stayed in the pocket there took one to the gut last 10 seconds he loves a fist fight does cowboy sometimes it doesn’t go his way [Music] but he still loves the tussle I feel like although Cowboy started strong he’s starting to find his way back into this fight a little bit he’s Landing some good shots look at his uppercut beautiful work just glanced off the chin of Leon Edwards but it’s the it’s the elbows breaking the clinch that are really affecting Cowboy the most good work by Leon Edwards his confidence is still there but Cowboy is now starting to find his rhythm round number four this is New Territory for Leon Edwards in the UFC Southport versus orthodox [Applause] what did you take from the messages between the rounds Dan I I think the Cowboy Corner feels like that this is where he now starts to come into his own taking him into deep Waters that this is familiar territory for cowboy many many times over as he as he pushed into these later rounds he’s a very very uh tough individual and he gets tougher as the fight goes on but as we said you know he starts kind of slow but now a momentum’s starting to shift a little bit Rocky Edwards is not at all discouraged oh just missed the head kick there but certainly Cowboy is more comfortable in the later rounds than he is early first fighter to be awarded bonus checks in all four categories Leon Edwards actually responding to his corner there vocally speaking to his corner he does that a lot in sparring actually very tuned into his Corner taking instruction good kick catch he’s got a very uh very Muay Thai stance he keeps he keeps slipping into does Edwards stands high with his arms up good inside low kick from cowboy Edwards with a win here is looking to encourage the UFC to go back to Birmingham he once watched Vaughn Lee compete for Birmingham in the UFC many years ago he would like to bring the UFC back to Brum on his terms nice faint by Leon Edwards there oh so quick such appetizing striking Styles a real vocabulary of strikes between them you’ve got to think with all the incredible Strikers in in the welterweight division at the moment there are so many fun matchups to watch no matter who wins nice one two short range not a great deal of power in it but enough to set the balance of cowboy and take away that low kick attempt of course Leon Edwards called out Darren till after his last victory inside the Octagon it didn’t come but I’m sure Darren is watching tonight thank you Leon Edwards desperate to find his way up into the the top Echelon of the the division start challenging names like that but anybody that gets into the top division has to go through a guy like cowboy usually cowboy you can see the confidence now Cowboys starting to push forward even more starting to draw the fight out of Leon Edwards really quick left hand there from Edwards nice knee as well same knee that caused the damage to the eye cowboy with the pressure against the fence gonna try and take some of that power out of the legs that was a really nice knee from the from Cowboy there to the middle of the thigh of Leon Edwards oh went for an outside reap Cowboys balance was able to save him and now Cowboys in the top position trying to keep Leon Edwards down let’s see if he goes for that wrist to try and strip his base away 120 on the clock as Edwards gets back to his feet which is celebrated by his corner but nice tight pressure here from cowboy on the break once again Edwards with that elbow [Applause] a little bloody discharge from the mouth of cowboy on that break as well once again yeah you’re here Dave Lavelle and Leon Edwards almost having a conversation oh look at look at that was good work he started to get impatient now he doesn’t like these Waiting Games that eye is troubling Cowboy Dan he keeps wiping at it fortunately it’s not running into his eye but he is conscious of it he really doesn’t like these stalemates where they stand and stare at each other again Edwards clearly here in his corner and responding everyone here in the Singapore indoor Stadium are on the edges of their seats waiting for one of these big strikes to do some serious damage last few seconds [Music] [Applause] this is the final round here in our main events a touch across there Cowboy said oh thank you about time Cowboys corner feels like it’s all to play for in this round they feel like they’re tied upon rounds as they said you’ve got that mountain air in your lungs beautiful visualization there for Cowboys something I’m sure that he’s thought about a lot during this training camp when he’s gonna need that oxygen the most where’s it gonna be his conditioning looks excellent as it always does mouth closed breathing calm as is Leon Edwards oh he’s an incredible athlete is Cerrone I was watching back some of his videos that had me thinking he could win American Ninja Warrior tomorrow if he likes after this fight as well such an athlete I love the relationship between cowboy and his striking coach sir uh Brandon Gibson it’s just it’s so beautiful to hear them interact in the corner I couldn’t be prouder of you now leaving it all in there you know he knows how to press his buttons yeah absolutely these guys ride into battle together every time they they roll as a unit and there’s so much richer that goes or goes into these fights you know matching belt buckles the the same hat for every time he always brings out murder for the fight it’s important to Cowboy to set that professionalism as well for the rest of the sport that was partly why he started up the BMF Branch to show other Fighters another way to live he teaches him life skills he does changing attire he does he’s very much a father figure to a lot of young Fighters I remember Jason Knight ahead of his fight at UFC Liverpool was talking about how that week had had such a big impact on him as a fighter Spending Time Around Cowboy and and the coaches that they’ve got at the BMF Ranch and yet on the other side Leon Edwards is the guy in Birmingham no one from Birmingham has ever fought as high as a main event in the UFC he has that whole town behind in that City behind him his mum took him down to the UTC when he was a young man and he’s never looked back and he wants to repay her Cowboy trying to pressure Leon Edwards moving into the last half of the final round stated clearly earlier this week that he wants to finish he needs to finish in order to get where he wants to go does that put pressure on him to take risks very difficult fight to score concentrating so hard on this dynasty it’s hard to kind of recall what happened in the earlier rounds [Applause] Edwards doesn’t look like he’s really exerting himself too much down which suggests to me he’s got plenty left in the tank absolutely I wonder whether he’s going to look back on this fight and feel like he oh nice again he’s looking for that sniper shot he’s looking for that finishing move sometimes it’s volume that’s going to do the do the damage [Music] double underhooks for cowboy can he get a takedown a takedown here would be massive at this stage of the fight Edward’s battling hard to maintain his balance and keep that hook on the inside of cowboys right thigh nicely done but Cowboy drags it down to the canvas one minute 30. Edwards on his back the toughness into nasty of cowboy is inspiring he knows he needs to be just busy enough to keep the referee from standing them up Edwards posts out gets to his knee very nicely down there by Rocky now he’s gonna fight back hard last minute he is down this round as you said earlier Dan Cowboy loves the later rounds he’s so good at pacing himself [Music] Leon Edwards is looking to set up that finishing shot cowboy was so pleased to come out to Asia a place where he used to fight at the drop of a hats back in the day Just For the Love of it last 20 seconds who can leave a real impression on the judge’s scorecards okay they point to the center here they go hold on last few seconds [Applause] and that is the end of the contest and after all of that they embrace so look at this knee that was the thing that opened up the cut early on cowboy and that was a bad cut that he had to fight through another you know four and a half rounds with Edwards did a good job of breaking the clinch with elbows but he waited for the perfect shot he did a lot of good work early but then Cowboys started to come on strong later on he got a couple of takedowns even though he was hurt with the body shots with the knee with the the fast hands of Leon Edwards Cowboy never stopped pushing he found a window of opportunity a few times he did excellent work all the way through the fight and just showed veteranship all the way through but Leon Edwards is definitely a contender for this division win or lose tonight both of these guys leave with a lot of respect okay the wait is over let’s get it inside the Octagon here’s Bruce Buffer ladies and gentlemen after five rounds we go to the judges score cars for a decision all three judges score this contest 48-47 for the winner by unanimous decision Leon rookie good one those