Leon Edwards made certain battle night time can be an applicable time earlier than accepting a homecoming bout in London.
Edwards travels to the capital on Tuesday forward of his important occasion conflict in opposition to American Sean Brady in the principle occasion of UFC London this weekend.
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It’s the first time Edwards could have fought within the Octagon since dropping the welterweight title to Belal Muhammad, the present champion, at UFC Manchester in July.
The 33-year-old headlined a stacked UFC 304 cardcthat additionally featured Brits Tom Aspinall and Paddy Pimblett, who claimed victories over Curtis Blaydes and King Inexperienced respectively.
Nonetheless, after witnessing each males win on the principle card, the Manchester crowd – those that have been nonetheless awake – have been shocked as Edwards fell to a unanimous determination defeat by the hands of Muhammad.
Your complete card was on an American time schedule, which means Edwards didn’t make his Octagon stroll till the early hours of that Sunday morning in July.
“By no means once more,” Birmingham’s Edwards instructed Ariel Helwani forward of UFC London when requested concerning the timings for this weekend.
“The very first thing [the UFC] stated to me was: ‘We’re coming again to the UK in March.’ I used to be like: ‘OK, what time are we preventing first?’
“They stated: ‘Regular time,’ so I used to be like: ‘Excellent, let’s do it.’”
Edwards added that he attributes ‘lots’ of his sluggish efficiency at UFC Manchester to the time at which the bout came about.
“That 4am/5am walkout was insanity,” he stated. “I attempted my finest to get into it, however I simply couldn’t.
“I simply really feel like my reactions have been sluggish. I may assume in my head what I needed to do and what I skilled to do.
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“However for some cause, my physique and thoughts simply weren’t in sync because it usually is in fights.
“I walked out at like 5am. It felt like that might heat me up and let me know: ‘You’ve to battle now!’
“Despite the fact that he acquired the win, it was nonetheless an in depth battle on my worst day. He gained three rounds, I ran two rounds…Even on my worst day it was nonetheless shut.”
Edwards has claimed the UFC have knowledgeable him that the winner of his battle with Brady will problem for the welterweight title subsequent.
Brady has misplaced simply as soon as within the UFC since making his debut in 2019, and that defeat got here to present champion Muhammad.
Muhammad defends his belt for the primary time at UFC 315 in Might in opposition to Jack Della Maddalena, who was initially meant to battle Edwards in London.
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Nonetheless, following information that No.1 welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov was injured, Della Maddalena was known as upon to interchange the Kazakhstan man.
Edwards asserted that he requested the UFC to place him in in opposition to Muhammad, however MMA’s largest league have been reluctant to maneuver him from the London card because of the absence of different massive British stars, like Aspinall and Pimblett.
His defeat to Muhammad was his first in eight years and 13 fights since Kamaru Usman beat him of their first assembly again in 2015.
Usman was the person who Edwards then knocked out in a full circle second at UFC 279 in August 2022 to say gold in Dana White’s promotion for the primary time.
He then defended it once more in a rematch with the Nigerian seven months later earlier than doing the identical in opposition to Colby Covington at UFC 296 in December 2023 and finally dropping it to Muhammad.
Edwards is backing Muhammad to lose his welterweight title at UFC 315 in Canada to Della Maddalena, who the Birmingham native will possible face ought to he win in London this weekend.
He insisted {that a} title battle is the one battle that is sensible after victory at UFC London.
“Particularly with the efficiency I’m going to placed on, 100 per cent,” Edwards added.
“I’m entering into there to harm him. It’s not nearly Sean, it’s about what I have to put proper in my head… I’m entering into there to take him out.”
UFC London additionally sees the return of Liverpudlian Molly McCann, whereas Brits Mick Parkin, Lone’er Kavanagh, Jai Herbert, Nathaniel Wooden, Jordan Vucenic and Chris Duncan all function on the cardboard.