Significant Stats | UFC 304: Edwards vs Muhammad 2

Key Stats: 53.3% significant strike accuracy (tied 8th), 2.34 strikes absorbed per minute (3rd), 70.2% takedown defense (9th)

What It Means: Although “Rocky” is best known as a sharp and precise striker, he has done well to round out his whole skillset to become a complete mixed martial artist. He is particularly adept at facilitating offense in the clinch with elbows and knees, and he shows his physical strength there, as well. His defensive grappling holds up well under immense pressure. Edwards is a smart defensive wrestler, and he does well to find wrist control to prevent his opponents from locking their hands and bringing him to the ground. If he does get put on his back, he is patient and careful in getting back up. His best defense, however, is his footwork and distance control. Overall, he is an out-and-out sharpshooter on the feet. 

Belal Muhammad

Key Stats: 1.98 takedowns averaged per 15 minutes, 57:12 control time (7th), 4.55 strikes landed per minute

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What It Means: Muhammad is a high-pace, high-volume, exhaustive fighter whose striking continues to improve. The Chicago-born wrestler chains together his takedowns without forcing any grappling exchanges. He is comfortable on the feet and possesses sneaky-good boxing. That, combined with his cardio and wrestling base, makes for a grind of a fight every time he steps into the Octagon.

What to Look For in the Fight: While this seems like it’ll be a striker-vs-grappler matchup, there is nuance within that. Muhammad will have to corral Edwards against the fence to begin his takedown sequences, but Edwards, who most recently fended off takedowns from Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, is more than adept at stuffing and getting back to space. However, one could argue Muhammad will be willing to grind out sequences much more than the previous two. That said, Edwards should have the strength, speed and striking advantage. If he can remain sharp and manage distance, he could make life very difficult for Muhammad in his quest to get close. 

Co-Main Event: Tom Aspinall vs Curtis Blaydes

Tom Aspinall

Key Stats: 2:10 average fight time (1st shortest all-time), +4.95 striking differential (1st all-time), 100% takedown defense

What It Means: Aspinall is as fast and well-rounded a heavyweight as the division has seen in the last half-decade. His boxing is crisp, clean, and contains very little of the wild, winging punches often seen in the weight class. He is also incredibly comfortable as a grappler and boasts a black belt in jiu-jitsu. In every area of the fight, Aspinall is loose, comfortable and quick, attributes he leans on to evade and set up his opponent for takedowns or powerful strikes. 

Curtis Blaydes

Key Stats: 62 takedowns landed (1st all-time among HW), 49.4% control time percentage (6th all-time among HW), 53.5% takedown accuracy (7th all-time among HW)

RELATED: Co-Main Event Spotlight

What It Means: “Razor” is a brutish, explosive heavyweight with some underrated striking, to boot. While his wrestling is, and always will be, his best weapon, Blaydes has done well to find his own way in the striking realm. He keeps things simple and knows when to sit down on a punch. Often, he throws in short combinations, and his punches are relatively tight. Granted, he would love to get people down to the mat, where he can maintain control while dropping devastating punches and elbows. 

What It Means: “Almighty” is a well-rounded fighter whose size, speed and technique make him a difficult puzzle for most to solve. He is light on his feet, bouncing in and out of range, and has a sharp, southpaw jab that he uses to maintain the range he wants. He has good kicks that he mixes up to the body and head. Allen does have good wrestling that he’ll use in a pinch, but he prefers to pepper his opponent with jabs and long-range strikes.

Giga Chikadze

Key Stats: 0.77 knockdowns averaged per 15 minutes, 4.08 strikes landed per minute, 69% takedown defense

What It Means: Chikadze is a devastating striker with a karate background that shows up most when he is throwing his incredibly powerful kicks. Whether it is to the legs, the body or the head, Chikadze’s kicking power is easily his weapon. He does have solid boxing, but he does his best work from range when he can pick his shots and pounce on an opportunity to blitz forward.

RELATED: Chikadze's Fight Week Interview 

What to Look For in the Fight: If Allen sits on the outside, he could have a difficult time as that is where Chikadze has the most success and can get off his signature kicks, so Allen might be well-served getting into clinches and forcing some grappling early in the fight. Allen should be the faster fighter, as well. Chikadze, however, does have good timing on his strikes, regardless of his speed, but he could be a little rusty after an 11-month layoff.

Manel Kape

Key Stats: 1.09 knockdowns averaged per 15 minutes (4th all-time among FLW), 54.7% significant strike accuracy (5th all-time among FLW), 77% takedown defense

What It Means: Kape is a talented and sharp striker with all-around skills that make him a difficult matchup for anybody in the division. On the feet, he is ultra-fast and has improved his sense of timing and range on the feet. He is able to leap in with powerful punches or dynamic strikes with a real quickness, and he shows good strength when defending takedowns. It is his suddenness that pops off the screen the most. 

What to Look For in the Fight: Mokaev is going to try to get at Kape’s legs, but Kape has the footwork, athleticism and range management to make life quite difficult for him. Kape could catch Mokaev moving in with a knee or uppercut if he takes a sloppy, desperate shot. That said, Mokaev never really quits on himself or his gameplan, so he will force Kape to stay sharp for as long as the fight lasts.