Can the Former Champ Get Back in the Win Column Over Rising Prospect?

Leon Edwards is back in action this Saturday in London, the same arena where he lost his title. He is taking on the fifth-ranked welterweight in Sean Brady. He was initially scheduled to fight the fourth-ranked welterweight, Jack Della Maddalena, but he was promoted to a championship fight against the reigning champion, Belal Muhammad. Fans were chirping loudly after Leon Edwards lost to Muhammad at UFC 304. He was manhandled throughout the entire fight and couldn’t get anything going. Will the former champion reclaim his stake for a title shot, or will the rising prospect be too much for him to handle? 

Sean Brady has 17 wins and one loss on his record. His only loss came from the current Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad.  His ability to improve his striking each time he steps foot inside the octagon has allowed his takedowns to become easier and more effective. He was able to put together a complete performance last time out against Gilbert Burns. If he can stun Edwards the way Belal was able to, he will be able to back him up against the fence and secure takedowns. His ground game is exceptional, and he’s very aggressive when the fight hits the canvas. He could do some serious damage if he gets Leon to the ground and could potentially finish the fight. 

Leon Edwards had one of the most memorable title runs in the history of the UFC. He was able to win the title with less than a minute left in round five against then champion Kamaru Usman with a nasty head kick TKO. Since then, he was able to look like a dominant champion after beating Usman in a rematch and Colby Covington, and then after that. The question remains if Edwards was that good or if he was fighting washed-up athletes. Usman hasn’t won a fight since, and Colby looks worse and worse every time out. This fight will determine where he stands in the division moving forward. If he can be more aggressive and get his striking going early, he will be able to slow Brady down, which will help him defend takedowns. If he once again tries to sit and wait for that one knockout opportunity, he will be dominated once again.   

This is a contrast of styles with one fighter wanting this fight on the ground while the other wants to keep the fight on the feet. Each fighter has shown to be more well-rounded throughout their careers, so this will be an interesting fight. I don’t see Leon making a career-changing approach out of the blue, so I see him getting down early on the scorecards. There’s always a chance he can land that one big shot, but I think Brady will be very aggressive when this fight hits the mat, that he most likely won’t be given that opportunity. You don’t want to miss out on all the exciting action this Saturday with an early start time at 4 P.M. EST.