Prediction: Joselyn Edwards via Decision
Chandler brings a gritty, pressure-heavy game that relies heavily on her physicality and ability to impose her grappling when she can close distance. Edwards, on the other hand, fights with a measured range-based striking approach that leverages her length, athleticism, and footwork to dictate engagements on her terms.
Edwards is the rightful favorite here because she has the tools to control where the fight takes place. Her offensive output at range is consistent—lots of kicks, long straight punches, and the ability to mix things up while moving. Her frame allows her to strike from a distance, and she uses that reach advantage well with both volume and variation. The key is her ability to maintain distance without being stagnant. She’s not a stationary target. She’s constantly cutting angles, bouncing out after landing, and not giving her opponents time to reset or establish pressure. That’s a big problem for someone like Chandler, who needs forward momentum and close contact to initiate her game.
Chandler’s grappling is unquestionably her biggest weapon. She’s dangerous when she gets a body lock or is able to crash into the clinch mid-exchange. That’s where she drags opponents down and controls them. She’s strong, she’s got good top pressure, and when she gets to dominant positions, she knows how to make it count. But the issue is how she gets there. Chandler isn’t a strong shot wrestler. She doesn’t level change and chain together takedowns. She thrives when she can make the fight messy—when opponents stay in front of her too long, or when exchanges get chaotic and she can grab something in the fire. Edwards is unlikely to give her those moments.
Against someone who stands still or backs straight up, Chandler’s blitzes and clinch entries can work. Edwards is rarely on the center line for more than a second or two, and she’s quick to disengage from close quarters. Chandler’s footwork isn’t tight enough to consistently cut off a fighter like Edwards. She tends to follow rather than corner, which leaves her chasing rather than closing. That’s where Edwards will pick her off—on the approach, on exits, with counters as Chandler reaches. Chandler can absorb shots to try to get inside, but doing that over three rounds with someone who maintains output and doesn’t give you second chances could cost her on the scorecards or wear her down before she finds her opening.