Fabian Edwards is looking for a flawless performance against Gegard Mousasi.
Edwards (11-2 MMA, 6-2 BMMA) meets former champion Mousasi (49-8-2 MMA, 8-2 BMMA) in a pivotal middleweight clash that headlines Bellator 296 on May 12 at Accor Arena in Paris. The card airs on Showtime in the U.S. and BBC iPlayer in the U.K.
Mousasi told Middle Easy that he doesn’t think Edwards has a good ground game, which gives Edwards an indication of where he plans on taking the fight.
“First, it makes me think he knows my striking is better than his,” Edwards told MMA Junkie. “He knows in that area I am the cleaner striker, and he will see. After the fight I will ask him, ‘How did that feel? Are you impressed?’ I’ll ask him all these questions, and I look forward to seeing his answers to it.”
He continued, “I only see myself stopping him or I see myself five rounds of just a clean performance. Outmaneuvering him, outstriking him, outgrappling him, and just going away with my hand raised, coming out of the fight clean.”
Mousasi also called Edwards a “big mouth,” which only made the Birmingham native laugh. Mousasi comes from a kickboxing background, but Edwards sees himself as levels above in the striking department.
“I just speak my mind, and he might not like that,” Edwards said. “But I speak my mind, and I see him as a flat-footed fighter. I’m just saying what I can see. He’s flatfooted, and I just think I’m better than him. That’s just being honest.”
“His striking is very basic. He’s very basic, and it’s sloppy, as well. He does a lot of things that’s wrong, technically wrong, but he still manages to win. So, fair play to him. But technically – if you’re looking at technique for technique, I’m way better. I’m way more technical than him.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 296.
