Leon Edwards is one of the most remarkable stories in UFC history. He rose from being an amateur cage fighter to becoming one of the most successful fighters in the world. Before long, he deserved to be part of the UFC picks thanks to he gained recognition of fans and critics alike.
Edwards, who ranks #3 in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings, was born in Kingston, Jamaica, on August 25, 1991, and when he was nine, he and his family moved to Birmingham, England. Four years later, his father was shot and killed, putting Edwards on a path of crime and illegal activity. However, he ultimately found a new path that led to success in the octagon.
Rise to Stardom in the UFC
By 17, Edwards cleaned up his image after he joined an MMA club. He made his professional MMA debut in December 2010 with a first-round TKO victory over Jason Novelli. He would go on to win his next five fights before suffering the first defeat of his career against future UFC welterweight title challenger Stephen Thompson in 2012. Edwards rebounded from this setback with four more wins before being signed by the UFC.
Edwards made his UFC debut in 2014 and immediately made an impact by winning his first three fights in impressive fashion. He picked up one win after another, losing just once to Kamaru Usman between 2015 and 2019.
During this winning streak, Edwards defeated some of the biggest names in the division, including Donald Cerrone and Rafael dos Anjos. His impressive run culminated with a dominant performance against former champion Robbie Lawler.
Despite that loss to Usman, Edwards, the first UFC champion ever to emerge from Jamaica, has continued to impress and is currently on another winning streak. He has won four fights in a row, with three coming via knockout or TKO.
Most recently, he scored a huge victory when he met Usman for a rematch in August 2022. They faced each other in UFC 278 for the UFC Welterweight Championship, and Edwards took the title after knocking out his opponent in the fifth round. The two are expected to meet again in another title fight in 2023.
Fight Record and Key Victories
Since becoming professional in 2014, Edwards has compiled an impressive 20-3 record in MMA. His most recent victory came against former UFC lightweight champion dos Anjos, whom he defeated by unanimous decision at UFC San Antonio in July 2019. This win cemented Edwards’ status as a top welterweight contender and put him on the radar of many fans and pundits alike.
With his recent string of successes, Edwards is now considered one of the top welterweights in the world and is expected to compete for the UFC welterweight title in the near future.
Life Outside The Ring
Since his early days as an amateur cage fighter, Edwards has always been driven to be the best. This passion has led him to achieve great things inside and outside the ring.
Edwards first made a name for himself in the UFC with his victory over Rafael dos Anjos in 2015. Since then, he has gone on to rack up an impressive 9-3 record in the promotion, with wins over top names like Donald Cerrone, Gunnar Nelson, and Vicente Luque.
Outside the UFC, Edwards is also a successful businessman, owning multiple businesses in England. He is also an active philanthropist, working with various charities to give back to his community.
His fight against Usman led to a number of awards. MMAjunkie.com gave him the August 2022 Knockout of the Month and ESPN gave him the 2022 Knockout of the Year award. It was also responsible for his 2022 Comeback of the Year award from Cageside Press.
Edwards is an incredible example of what you can achieve with hard work and dedication. From his humble beginnings as an amateur cage fighter, He has become a UFC superstar who continues to prove himself in the ring.