Leon Edwards believes a victory in his upcoming fight in London will put him in line for another title opportunity. He is set to headline UFC London against Sean Brady on March 22nd. This fight came about because Edwards’ initial opponent, Jack Della Maddalena, is now expected to challenge Belal Muhammad for the welterweight title at UFC 315.
Muhammad secured the title by defeating Edwards in July. Edwards mentioned that he considered stepping in to fight Muhammad when he heard Muhammad needed a challenger for the May pay-per-view event. However, UFC had already planned UFC London around Edwards, making it complicated to change the main event.
Edwards stated on his YouTube vlog that he learned about the opponent change a couple of weeks prior. He was in discussions with the UFC to potentially fight Belal Muhammad but understood the logistical challenges of altering the UFC London card.
Ultimately, Sean Brady became Edwards’ new opponent. Edwards feels comfortable fighting Brady’s style and is looking forward to the match.
This change in opponents was caused by an injury to Shavkat Rakhmonov, the number one welterweight contender. Rakhmonov was originally scheduled to fight Muhammad at UFC 310 in December, but a bone infection forced Muhammad to withdraw. While a rematch between Muhammad and Rakhmonov wasn’t officially scheduled, it was expected. Rakhmonov’s injury paved the way for Della Maddalena to face Muhammad.
Edwards sees the shift at the top of the division as beneficial, particularly for him if he delivers a strong performance against Brady in London.
Edwards feels that Della Maddalena getting a title shot has opened up the division. He believes that if Della Maddalena wins, it would set up an ideal fight for Edwards next. If Muhammad wins, a rematch is also a definite possibility.
Edwards said he was told by the UFC that his upcoming fight is a number one contender fight. He believes that a win against Brady will earn him a title shot. His goal is to reclaim the world championship, stating that his previous fight with Muhammad was not representative of his true abilities due to various factors affecting his performance. He is eager to correct this and believes it starts with a victory over Sean Brady.
Muhammad responded on social media to Edwards’ comments, jokingly saying Edwards would have to wait “three long years” for a rematch. This refers to their history, starting with their first fight in March 2021, which ended in a no-contest due to an accidental eye poke. Muhammad then had to win five consecutive fights before getting a title fight, which turned out to be against Edwards in July 2024.
