Photo by Kieran Cleeves / AP
Yikes, that was tough to watch.
After another lackluster UFC Fight Night on EPSN+, Leon Edwards turned in a disappointing performance in the main event against Sean Brady.
After a mild first round, Edwards got thoroughly dominated by Brady’s grappling, ultimately leading to a fourth-round submission.
First off, let’s give credit where it’s due; Brady fought perfectly and clearly studied the game plan Belal Muhammad used to dethrone Edwards from the title.
But several fight fans, myself included, can’t help but view Edwards’ performance as the story of the night.
To put it bluntly, Edwards looked slow, old, and completely mismatched in the octagon.
Not only did he look like a shell of himself, his decision making was horrid. A bizarre takedown attempt against the much better grappler in Brady left everyone watching scratching their heads.
So, where does the former champion go from here?
When it comes to situations like this, I tend to lean toward retirement. And this is absolutely one of those times.
Let me be clear: Leon is absolutely capable of still getting wins against guys in the top 15.
But is he going to ever regain his championship? After what I saw yesterday, no.
Leon is, however, fortunate enough to have been champion and has fought in four championship fights. That means he has, in theory, already made more money than most prize fighters EVER will.
In a brutal sport where long-term health should be the principal concern of these athletes, Leon is in a situation now where he can get out having made good money, still has brand recognition in the UK, and hasn’t taken a tone of damage.
But what if he wants to fight again? Who should the UFC match him up against?
Leon is now in a situation where, if he does choose to fight again, he will be a gatekeeper for up-and-coming fighters.
That’s why facing the streaking Carlos Prates is the fight that makes the most sense.
Prates is scheduled to face veteran Geoff Neal in the upcoming UFC 314 pay-per-view. If he gets the job done, I can absolutely see the UFC booking that next.
And if I’m being honest, after seeing Sean Brady — whose striking is mediocre at best — land consistently on Leon, I’d be seriously concerned about his chances against a heavy hitter like Prates.
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