UFC Singapore: 5 Keys to Victory for Donald Cerrone

3. Use his submissions as intimidation

Of his thirty-three wins, just under half of Cerrone’s victories have come via submission. While it may seem cheap to list both striking and grappling attributes as Cerrone’s keys, the man is simply that well-rounded. Outside of his destructive striking, Cerrone has locked in some of the most impressive tap-out victories in MMA.

The Cowboy has eight triangle chokes alone in his career, alongside a couple of armbars, guillotines and others. This variety of submission prowess should highlight that if Leon Edwards chooses to grapple on Saturday, he will be under imminent threat from submission. While Edwards has never been submitted, and he himself has three submission victories, he certainly doesn’t have the BJJ black belt level skill of Cerrone.

In his last seven fights, Cerrone hasn’t managed to submit an opponent, which is why his grappling abilities should be in his back pocket, rather than his weapon of choice. Nevertheless, if Cerrone hopes to strike some fear into the heart of his aggressive young opponent, his submission skills can be key.