Leon Edwards (22-6) reigned as the undisputed UFC welterweight champion from 2022 to 2023; however, things have tumbled downhill since then. Edwards defeated Kamaru Usman by fifth-round knockout at UFC 278 in August 2022 to claim the UFC welterweight title.
In two defenses of the belt, “Rocky” holds wins over Usman in a trilogy match and a unanimous decision victory against Colby Covington at UFC 296 in December 2023.
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Following a brutal second-round knockout loss to Carlos Prates at UFC 322 last Saturday, Edwards has fallen into a 0-3 skid. It’s been nearly two years since the native of Birmingham, England, won his last fight. In light of the rough stretch, former opponent Covington advised Edwards to consider hanging up the gloves.
“I think he should probably retire,” Covington told Helen Yee Sports. “I think he lost the hunger. I made him so much money when we fought. I just don’t think he has that hunger and the spark anymore. So I’d like to see him hang it up, and do something else.”
Leon Edwards’ Slump Continues
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In July 2024, Belal Muhammad defeated Edwards by unanimous decision at UFC 304 to become the new 170-pound kingpin. The underdog Muhammad dominated Edwards, landing 192 total strikes, more than double; of Edwards’ 89 total. “Remember The Name” also executed nine out of 13 takedown attempts.
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Edwards aimed to bounce back as he took on Sean Brady at UFC Fight Night 255 in March. In another one-sided defeat, Edwards lost by submission in the fourth round. He was outmatched by a large margin on the standup, landing just 23 total strikes, while Brady connected with 221 in total.
After the latest defeat to Prates, Edwards fell five spots down in the UFC’s welterweight rankings, to No. 9. The former UFC welterweight titleholder has lost consecutive fights for the first time in his career. He’ll have a long way to climb back up in a stacked division.
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