UFC Fight Night 255 is set to take place this weekend at the O2 Arena in London, with the main event featuring a tough matchup between former welterweight champion Leon Edwards and Sean Brady. This bout is already shaping up to be one for the books as it has both fighters at critical points of their career, ready to give their all.
Edwards (22-4-0, 1NC) is returning to the Octagon after losing his welterweight title to Belal Muhammad last July. Edwards has faced and beaten some of the toughest opponents in the division, including Kamaru Usman, Colby Covington, and Nate Diaz.
The Jamaican-born fighter is no stranger to overcoming adversity and turning a bad fight around. But his recent loss to Muhammad, a grappler himself, raises questions about whether he’s ready for Brady’s wrestling-focused style.
Still, Edwards is confident of his abilities, having featured in several high-profile bouts against grapplers in the past, and coming out successful. He just needs to find a way to keep Brady’s grip off him if he hopes to secure a victory.
Brady (17-1-0) is on a mission to make his mark in the welterweight division. Like Edwards, he’s also lost to Belal Muhammad, his sole professional loss till this day. With impressive victories over stars Kelvin Gastelum and Gilbert Burns, he’s steadily proven himself and shown that he’s made for more. A determined fighter, Brady has secured five career wins via submission due to his insane grappling strength.
The 32-year-old is not phased by Edwards’ reputation, viewing this fight as an opportunity to prove himself against a former champion. His one advantage over Edwards are his wrestling skills, which could make all the difference in the match.
For Edwards, a victory would be a crucial step towards regaining his title aspirations, while Brady defeating a former champion would catapult him into title contention. The winner of this weekend’s fixture could possibly face the winner of the upcoming title fight between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena, a proper motivation going into the fight.
