In his home country, Leon Edwards is confident that a pivotal win could lead to another title shot.
Headlining UFC London on March 22 against Sean Brady, Edwards was originally set to face Jack Della Maddalena. However, Della Maddalena was called up to challenge welterweight champion Belal Muhammad at UFC 315, leading to the matchup change. Edwards had actually expressed interest in a rematch with Muhammad, who defeated him in July, but the opportunity did not materialize.
Reflecting on the turn of events, Edwards shared on his YouTube vlog, “I’d been in talks with the UFC to step in and fight Belal, but they had already promoted London around me, making it difficult to replace me on the card. So, we now have a new opponent in Sean Brady, a style that I am familiar with and comfortable fighting against. I am looking forward to the challenge.”
The shuffle in fighters was prompted by an injury to No. 1 welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov, leading to Della Maddalena stepping in to face Muhammad instead. Edwards sees the change at the top of the division as an opportunity for him to make a statement with a strong performance against Brady at The O2 Arena.
Anticipating a potential title shot, Edwards stated, “I spoke to the UFC, they told me that after this win, it’s a No. 1 contender fight. When I win this, I fight for the title. My aim is to reclaim the championship, and I believe it all starts with Sean Brady.”
Reacting to the developments, Muhammad warned Edwards on social media that a rematch between them was not imminent. Their feud dates back to their first fight in March 2021, which ended in a no-contest due to an eye poke. Muhammad had to secure five consecutive wins before earning a rematch with Edwards in July 2024.
As the anticipation builds for the upcoming fight, Edwards remains focused on his goal of regaining the title and setting things right from their previous encounter.
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