“I’m focusing on Sean Brady right now, and I just have to go out there in London (and) get rid of him. Then, once I get rid of him, a title shot is next for me,” said Leon Edwards in his Road to UFC London video. Well, that isn’t entirely untrue. If Leon Edwards goes out there and beats a man who only lost to the champ, and does it emphatically, then he could very well be in the title conversation. But, of course, his opponent is Sean Brady—a man who only has one loss on his professional record.
Will this hurdle be easy? It all depends on which Leon Edwards shows up at UFC London. If it’s the Leon Edwards who showed up against Kamaru Usman in the latter two bouts of their trilogy, then he’s good. If it’s the ‘Rocky’ that showed up against Belal Muhammad, then he’s done for. After all, Sean Brady is an exceptional grappler. And the only person to stop Brady was Muhammad, who happens to be an elite grappler and wrestler himself. Both fighters lost to Belal Muhammad. And Michael Bisping thinks that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
While speaking to TNT Sports, ‘The Count’ explained that Edwards might have to change his ball game altogether because he is fighting someone with as much grit as he has. ‘The Count’ said, “I think it’s potentially even bigger than that for Leon Edwards. This fight is all about proving to himself proving to all the British fans proving to the UFC that he has still got it. And that’s what he’s going to show you of course he is still got it there is no shame in losing to Belal Muhammad. He beats a lot of people he is the champion.”
Yes, winning and losing are a part of the game but for Edwards, it’s more than that. It’s about winning in front of his home crowd. Bisping further added, “Are you that guy? Are you the fighter? Are you going to do everything in your power to show up at O2 Arena and destroy whoever it is? Knock them out unconscious get on the microphone and stare at your case. I think the answer to all of those things regarding Leon Edwards is Yes.” News flash. Even Brady has the same resilience according to Bisping.
MMA: UFC 278- Usman vs Edwards, Aug 20, 2022 Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Leon Edwards blue gloves leaves the arena after defeating Kamaru Usman red gloves during UFC 278 at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports, 20.08.2022 23:05:07, 18905992, NPStrans, Kamaru Usman, MMA PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJeffreyxSwingerx 18905992
Bisping spoke to Brady 4 days ago and it looks like the latter is quite pumped for this short-notice fight after Jack Della Maddalena dropped this fight to clash with Muhammad. Brady said that he was ready to go all out in the fight and had been training for 5 rounds even before he got the bout. He said, “When an opportunity knocks and especially one like this when I’m ready for it, like, there’s no reason for me to turn it down.” Brady seems ready to take on Edwards.
However, Leon Edwards has not forgotten his unfinished business with Belal Muhammad. While preparing for a return at UFC London, the former welterweight champ issued a subtle reminder to ‘Remember the Name’.
Leon Edwards warned Belal Muhammad ahead of his comeback
‘Rocky’ is crystal clear about his end goal: to come back and win the strap again. The loss to Muhammad was personal to Edwards because it was not just a title loss, it was an inaccurate display of his skills. On his YouTube channel, he said, “I’d love to run it back with Belal, you know. I feel like it’s difficult to say he wins. Like I said, I’d probably prefer Belal because he was the last guy to defeat me. Even though I had a hard night, I feel like that’s when I need to get back.” He further added, “I truly believe I’m the better fighter between me and him. I’ll go out there and prove it again.”
Fighting Sean Brady is a hurdle he needs to cross to get to ‘Remember the Name.’ This quest is not just for reclaiming the throne but to show that he is an elite fighter in the welterweight division.
Edwards had successfully defeated Kamaru Usman at UFC 278, to become the welterweight champion. To add to this glory, he again his belt twice, against Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington. So do you think Edwards will be able to reclaim the throne after his fight against Sean Brady? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The post “There’s No Shame in Losing to Belal Muhammad” – Michael Bisping Forces Leon Edwards to Reassess Before UFC London Fight appeared first on EssentiallySports.