UFC 49: Unfinished Business Preview
Yves .Edwards vs. Josh .Thomson
Aug 20, 2004
Yves Edwards vs. Josh Thomson “The Punk”
EDWARDS: Woodlands, Texas native Yves Edwards is a muay Thai fighter and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner with a 26-8-1 record in MMA. He trains with Lewis Wood, Saul Soliz, Kenny Weldon, Eddie Miller, Ricardo Barros and Pete Spratt and represents the Third Column Fight Team. Yves has been fighting MMA for 7 years and began competing in local shows like Xtreme Shootout, Renegades, Power Ring Warriors, Armageddon and the World Pankration Championships.
He branched out, taking fights in other parts of the country like
in the Bas Rutten
Invitational and Extreme Challenge. Yves had two legendary fights
with Aaron Riley at
HOOK’n’ SHOOT and is also a former HOOK’n’SHOOT middleweight
champion. He competed in Superbrawl, King of the Cage, Shogun,
Bushido (not Pride) and of course the UFC beating many highly rated
lightweight fighters including Thomas Denny, Shannon Ritch, Pete Spratt, Kultar Gill, Joao Pierini, Rich Clementi, Eddie Ruiz and Hermes Franca. He also recorded
losses to Joe Hurley,
Fabiano Iha, Nathan Marquardt, Rumina Sato, Matt Serra and Caol Uno.
Edwards debuted in UFC 33 against Matt Serra and was 0-2 before putting together four consecutive wins in the octagon. His most recent win over new BTT acquisition Hermes Franca set him up for what was supposed to be a lightweight title shot in the UFC.
THOMSON: Team Idaho founder (along with Trevor Prangley, Roger Neff and Judy Neff) Josh Thomson currently trains with UFC veterans Frank Shamrock, Bob Cook, boxing trainer Javier Mendez and members of the American Kickboxing Academy. Thomson is the WPKO World and North American Champion, the NAKO Northwestern Champion, the North American Submission Fighting Championships winner and he wrestled at Stanford University. He has a 23-1-1 record in MMA and has beaten Gerald Strebendt and Hermes Franca in the UFC.
Thomson fought on many local shows in Seattle and Portland and has been fighting MMA since 1997. He lost his first bout to the Matt Hume-trained Justin Stevenson by decision. Josh felt stamina was the deciding factor and vowed to never let it be the cause of a defeat again. He has also beaten Gladiator Training Academy fighter Doug Evans and kickboxing champion Rob McCullough. Josh has been plagued with injuries over the last few years and his UFC debut was delayed on at least two occasions but his impressive debut against Strebendt and the recent bout with Franca earned him the proposed lightweight title shot.
MY PICK: Edwards. These two are very well balanced standing and on the ground. Even their records are similar but Edwards has fought the better competition. Yves is also deadly on the feet. He throws every kick with bad intentions and though Thomson has looked very good in his UFC bouts, it doesn’t appear he fires off strikes with the same authority. If Edwards treats this like the title fight it should be, he will chop down a very game Thomson and plead for a title. Edwards by TKO from strikes in round 2.
EDWARDS: Woodlands, Texas native Yves Edwards is a muay Thai fighter and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner with a 26-8-1 record in MMA. He trains with Lewis Wood, Saul Soliz, Kenny Weldon, Eddie Miller, Ricardo Barros and Pete Spratt and represents the Third Column Fight Team. Yves has been fighting MMA for 7 years and began competing in local shows like Xtreme Shootout, Renegades, Power Ring Warriors, Armageddon and the World Pankration Championships.
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Edwards debuted in UFC 33 against Matt Serra and was 0-2 before putting together four consecutive wins in the octagon. His most recent win over new BTT acquisition Hermes Franca set him up for what was supposed to be a lightweight title shot in the UFC.
THOMSON: Team Idaho founder (along with Trevor Prangley, Roger Neff and Judy Neff) Josh Thomson currently trains with UFC veterans Frank Shamrock, Bob Cook, boxing trainer Javier Mendez and members of the American Kickboxing Academy. Thomson is the WPKO World and North American Champion, the NAKO Northwestern Champion, the North American Submission Fighting Championships winner and he wrestled at Stanford University. He has a 23-1-1 record in MMA and has beaten Gerald Strebendt and Hermes Franca in the UFC.
Thomson fought on many local shows in Seattle and Portland and has been fighting MMA since 1997. He lost his first bout to the Matt Hume-trained Justin Stevenson by decision. Josh felt stamina was the deciding factor and vowed to never let it be the cause of a defeat again. He has also beaten Gladiator Training Academy fighter Doug Evans and kickboxing champion Rob McCullough. Josh has been plagued with injuries over the last few years and his UFC debut was delayed on at least two occasions but his impressive debut against Strebendt and the recent bout with Franca earned him the proposed lightweight title shot.
MY PICK: Edwards. These two are very well balanced standing and on the ground. Even their records are similar but Edwards has fought the better competition. Yves is also deadly on the feet. He throws every kick with bad intentions and though Thomson has looked very good in his UFC bouts, it doesn’t appear he fires off strikes with the same authority. If Edwards treats this like the title fight it should be, he will chop down a very game Thomson and plead for a title. Edwards by TKO from strikes in round 2.
