With only one fight in 2016 to his credit, the year wasn’t as productive as lightweight Marcus Edwards would have liked, but he does take some positives from it.
The biggest thing Edwards took from last year was a concerted effort to put more time into his preparations for fights so that he could be the best version of himself each time out.
“In previous fights, my cardio wasn’t great taking fights on short notice without camps. So that was my big focus last year, taking a fight with a decent amount of time to prepare for it, so I could perform to my full potential, so I could make that next step up to the next level,” Edwards told MMAWeekly.com.
Edwards did manage to pick up a quick TKO of Billy Christianson at Legacy FC 60 in October, to at least get one fight on the books for the year.
“When I took the (Christianson) fight, it was something I needed mentally and was itching to fight and it worked out,” said Edwards. “You can’t beat a 12-second knockout against a good guy for an awesome promotion on AXS TV.”
Having had an opportunity to prepare more for his upcoming bout, Edwards has definitely seen the benefits of a full fight camp and its impact on him.
“I’ve done so much for this fight camp that I’ve never done in any other fight camp,” he said. “I don’t really do fight camps, so there’s stuff I’ve never done with recovery and stuff like that, so now with my body feeling great, I’ll be able to fight better and a higher level.
“I’m learning more about my style, how I fight and who I am as a fighter. I’m just scratching the surface, so with more fights and more time, I’ll become a better Marcus.”
On Friday in Broomfield, Colo., Edwards (12-4) takes on Adam Townsend (16-4) in a 155-pound main event of Legacy Fighting Alliance 5.
“He loves to fight just like I love to fight,” said Edwards of Townsend. “He reminds me a lot of Dakota Cochrane, with that bigger body, grinding, bully mentality.
“To win this fight, I’ve just got to go in there and be myself and have fun. Put my hands on him and be relentless. I’ve got to kind of bully him back. Break him mentally, drag him into some deep water and see how he feels here at altitude.”
Edwards believes with a strong performance against Townsend, he’ll place himself in a position to make the next step in his career.
“The overall goal for this year is getting into the UFC,” Edwards said. “I believe I’ve put in a lot of work and proven myself. So I should get that shot and get that opportunity to prove myself and see how things go.
“A lot of people love to watch me, and I believe I have what it takes to be with the highest of the highs in the fight game.”
