Sean Brady made history at UFC London by becoming the first fighter to defeat Leon Edwards by finish, submitting him with a guillotine choke in the fourth round. Brady emphasized that his victory was even more decisive than Belal Muhammad`s previous win against Edwards.
Belal Muhammad, the current welterweight champion, secured a decision victory over Edwards after a five-round fight earlier. Following Brady`s win, Muhammad commented on social media that Brady had seemingly copied his strategy, referencing the grappling-heavy approach both fighters used against Edwards.
Brady quickly responded to Muhammad, pointing out the difference in their fight outcomes.
“I believe my performance against Leon was far better than Belal’s,” Brady stated at the post-fight press conference. “Belal, in my opinion, lost a couple of rounds in his fight and was controlled on his back for an entire round. I believe it was a 3-2 fight when they met. In contrast, I dominated Leon in every round and finished him. No one has ever done what I did to him. I made him submit in front of his home crowd.”
Brady continued, “If we were fighting in Philadelphia, you wouldn’t make me quit in front of my fans, I can assure you. That’s just not going to happen.”
While Brady acknowledged similarities in their game plans against Edwards, he maintained that his execution was superior.
“That’s the strategy to beat Leon,” Brady explained. “The approach has been evident in many of his fights, but I executed it more effectively than anyone else has managed. Even when Leon attempted takedowns, despite his technical skills, he tends to falter in tough fights. I could sense him breaking.”
“I knew he was breaking when he shot for a takedown because the last place he wanted to be was on the ground with me. Once I realized he wanted to grapple, I knew the fight would end soon,” Brady added.
This submission victory marks Brady’s third consecutive win since his only career loss to Belal Muhammad via knockout in 2022.
Brady believes this loss to Muhammad has become less significant over time, considering Muhammad`s subsequent success in becoming champion.
“Belal has an incredible record,” Brady noted. “My loss is on there, along with wins against many other good fighters. People criticize me for losing to him, but that loss was actually beneficial for my career. I’m currently on a winning streak, and I’m the last person to finish Leon. I’m in a good position.”
“I’ve been supporting Belal since he defeated me. Of course, his success makes my loss to him look better. He beat Leon and is now facing Jack Della Maddalena, who is a very tough opponent. I was preparing to fight Jack before I had to withdraw, and I know his capabilities. Jack can knock out anyone. However, you can’t underestimate Belal. He finds ways to win, and I expect him to win that fight. Naturally, I want him to be champion when we have a rematch, but if he loses, I’d be willing to fight him for the No. 1 contender spot. There are various options available.”
Following his dominant win over Edwards, Brady has positioned himself as a strong contender for a title shot.
The primary obstacle in his path is likely Shavkat Rakhmonov, who was initially scheduled for a title fight last December before Muhammad withdrew due to injury. When Muhammad was ready to fight in May, Rakhmonov was also injured, leading to Jack Della Maddalena stepping in.
The next title challenger after Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena at UFC 315 on May 10 is still uncertain. However, Brady argues that his victory over Edwards was more impressive than Rakhmonov`s narrow win against Ian Machado Garry in his last fight.
“You tell me, is defeating Leon in his hometown a statement? I think so,” Brady questioned. “If you consider Ian’s recent performance, Shavkat wasn`t exceptional either. Jack was losing to Gilbert Burns in his fight before his win. I dominated Gilbert Burns, and I just dominated Leon Edwards. So, I believe I’m right in the mix.”
“Ultimately, the UFC makes those decisions. But if you compare the opponents I’ve been defeating to Shavkat’s, I believe I have a strong argument. My last two wins are against Gilbert Burns and Leon Edwards, while his last two were against Stephen Thompson and Ian Garry. I’m building a solid record. I just want to keep adding victories to my resume and see what happens next.”
