The UFC’s return to London was shaping up to be a big night for fight fans, with former welterweight champion Leon Edwards slated to face rising sensation Jack Della Maddalena. Following a painful title defeat to Belal Muhammad at UFC 304, Edwards was determined to remind everyone why he once dominated the division. Maddalena, on the other hand, was eager to prove that his undefeated UFC record wasn’t just a fluke.
The O2 Arena crowd was in for a treat—or so it seemed. Then, out of nowhere, the much-awaited fight was canceled. Fans were left wondering why such a terrific battle met such a fate. Maddalena was out in a matter of days, and Sean Brady entered the welterweight division, changing things up. But why did such a switch occur?
Reason behind Leon Edwards vs. Jack Della Maddalena fight cancelation
Just when it appeared that UFC London had the perfect main event, the UFC had different intentions. ‘Rocky’ was set to face Maddalena, but there was another opportunity forming behind the scenes. The UFC required a new challenger for Belal Muhammad‘s title defense at UFC 315 in May. Shavkat Rakhmonov was originally considered for the position, but an injury forced him to withdraw. That left Maddalena with two options: stick with the London bout against Edwards or pursue a title shot right away.
And let’s be honest: no fighter in their right mind would give away a chance at UFC gold. With Maddalena withdrawn from the London card, the UFC needed to act quickly. They weren’t going to let Edwards sit on the sidelines, especially with a home audience waiting for him. Enter Sean Brady, a powerful grappler who had already gained momentum with victories against Kelvin Gastelum and Gilbert Burns. Stylistically, this is a whole different challenge for Edwards, but he was determined to recapture the title and wasn’t about to give up.
Maddalena made it obvious that switching opponents was a no-brainer. “I was ready to go, big fight [against Leon Edwards],” he said. “But when the title shot came up, it was an easy decision.” Meanwhile, never one to back down, Belal Muhammad greeted his new opponent with a bold statement: “He’s stepping out of the kiddie pool and into the deep end of the ocean.” With the welterweight division in chaos, UFC London still promises fireworks—but the title situation has surely taken a dramatic change.
UFC makes a strong promise as Edwards agrees to fight at UFC London
Leon Edwards could have simply walked away following the chaos at UFC London, but that is not his style. Instead of being upset about losing his opponent, ‘Rocky’ chose to turn the situation in his favor. Jack Della Maddalena may have walked away with a title shot, but the Briton was not going to let his homecoming fall through the cracks. And if Belal Muhammad’s jab on X—“Dang, I stole Leon’s belt and his opponent”—was intended to get under his skin, it did not appear to work. Instead, ‘Rocky’ had something even better up his sleeve: a promise from Dana White himself.
The Birmingham fighter recently stated that he attempted to step in for the UFC 315 main event and face Belal Muhammad, but the Dana White-led promotion had other plans. Since London’s card was primarily created around him, removing Edwards but keeping Maddalena in made no sense. “It would be weird to let Jack headline London,” he admitted. As a result, Sean Brady was assigned as Edwards’ opponent, providing him with a familiar face. While the move was not ideal, ‘Rocky’ maintained his focus, kept his training camp on track, and accepted the challenge.
More importantly, ‘Rocky’ received what he truly desired—a clear path back to the belt. “When I win this, I’ll fight for the title,” he declared. It’s no longer just a struggle to remain relevant; it’s a straight path to reclaiming his throne. Fighting in front of a London audience will only fuel the flames, and a dominant performance might clear any questions about his loss to ‘Remember the Name.’ Brady, on the other hand, has excellent potential to surprise the world and claim the title. With stakes this high, UFC London has become unmissable. What do you think? Who will win the fight?
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