Heading into UFC 322, Leon Edwards has made significant adjustments. After more than seven months on the sidelines following a straight loss to Sean Brady in March at UFC London, the former welterweight champion is finally returning. With a 0‑2 record in his last two fights, the Jamaican-British star is now set to step back into the Octagon this weekend to face No. 9-ranked contender Carlos Prates at the iconic Madison Square Garden, all while aiming to get back in the win column.

This time, ‘Rocky’ faces a different challenge. In the past four years, he has rarely fought pure strikers, and it has been over six years since he last competed in a three-round bout. UFC 322 offers a fresh test as he aims to move closer to title contention. Both Leon Edwards and his coach have confirmed that his strategy is to dominate with striking against a striker-style opponent. With less than a week remaining, the Brit recently spoke and promised to deliver explosive rounds for his fans.

Inside Leon Edwards’ approach to the UFC 322 three-round fight

Back in 2019, Leon Edwards faced Gunnar Nelson in a three-round battle, securing a win by split decision. Since then, ‘Rocky’ has taken on several high-profile opponents, including Nate Diaz in 2021, and later Kamaru Usman (twice), Colby Covington, and Belal Muhammad, against whom he lost his title last year at UFC 304. Ahead of his upcoming short-duration matchup, Edwards has made key adjustments.

Speaking on the latest UFC Embedded vlog series, Episode 1, Edwards’ coach Dave Lovell revealed, “We ticked all the boxes, crossed all the ‘t’s, dotted all the ‘i’s. Yeah, just ready for the occasion. Used to five-rounders, as you know, but, um, back to three-rounders. So obviously, we’ve set the stage for a fast three-round fight. It’s more of a sprint now, isn’t it? Look for a very explosive Leon Edwards.”

On November 15th, Leon Edwards, fit and focused, aims to outclass Carlos Prates. In an interview with Ariel Helwani, he shared his excitement for the fight and explained how it differs from his previous bouts, “I’m excited to go out there and just mix it up and get to work. You know, fighting a wrestler is too different from how you fight a striker. I mean, I get to show more skills, and that’s gonna be a good one… For a three-round fight, you want to sprint, and that’s my mentality going into it.”

Still, the challenge will be tough. Despite his confidence, Leon Edwards knows that Carlos Prates (6‑1 in the UFC) is a formidable opponent. At the same time, currently a fan favorite and the oddsmakers’ pick, Prates has consistently proven himself at every level of the promotion. On top of that, he has finished all of his UFC wins by knockout, demonstrating his ability to end fights decisively. This makes him a dangerous adversary for Edwards, who is planning to win this bout and hopefully more in the next year.

Leon Edwards faces scrutiny from analysts ahead of title pursuit

Earlier this year, fighters like Alexander Volkanovski and Alex Pereira reignited hope among their peers to reclaim UFC titles, prompting Leon Edwards to assert, “After MSG, I put on the best performance of my life; that sets me up for one more fight in March or April. Then I fight for the title in the summer.” However, his confidence has drawn criticism.

While Edwards remains determined to regain championship glory, MMA analyst Luke Thomas believes the optimism is misplaced. Speaking on Submission Radio, Thomas expressed doubt about the success of Leon Edwards’ “Three-Step Plan,” stating that ‘Rocky’ has “not a penny” chance of returning to title contention anytime soon.

Although Thomas recognizes Leon Edwards as a skilled fighter, he believes the Brit needs more victories to climb back into the title picture: “…he’s going to win two fights and be right back in the title picture? No, he’s not. He’s not a big star, he’s not a big draw. He got thoroughly smashed by Brady, and obviously, he got largely beaten up to the fifth round by Belal anyway. No, he’s probably not going to get the wins he needs, and even if he does, the division is going to move on without him… For most guys who touch the title, once it gets taken away, it never comes back. And I suspect Leon’s one of those guys.”

Now, with UFC 322 approaching and Edwards chasing his big dream against all odds, can the Brit withstand Carlos Prates’ lethal striking? What do you think, will ‘Rocky’ survive this test? Share your thoughts below.