Sean Brady Asserts Claim as UFC’s #1 Welterweight Contender

Sean Brady has significantly strengthened his case for the next welterweight title shot following a dominant performance culminating in a submission victory over former champion Leon Edwards at UFC London.

His win was not only definitive but also marked the first time Edwards had been finished in his career, serving as a perfect capstone to a one-sided display. This performance propelled Brady to the No. 1 spot in the official UFC rankings, positioning him directly behind champion Belal Muhammad. Previously, the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov held the consensus No. 1 contender status after defeating Ian Machado Garry, but he has now dropped to No. 2.

Rakhmonov was unfortunately sidelined by an injury that forced him out of a planned fight at UFC 315, with Jack Della Maddalena stepping in as a replacement. Brady now believes he is the rightful next challenger for the title, irrespective of previous arrangements.

In an interview with MMA Fighting, Brady stated unequivocally, “I am the No. 1 contender. There’s a 1 next to my name so I am the No. 1 contender. Shavkat’s No. 2, even though they said he’s getting the title shot next but if you look at who he’s beaten as of late and who I’ve beaten, it should be me.”

Brady`s current three-fight winning streak includes impressive victories over Edwards, former title challenger Gilbert Burns, and Kelvin Gastelum. In comparison, Rakhmonov`s recent run of three wins came against Garry, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, and Geoff Neal.

Based on their recent opponents, Brady feels his resume is superior on paper. However, he remains open to facing Rakhmonov if the UFC decides that a fight between them is necessary to definitively determine the true No. 1 contender in the welterweight division.

Brady is unwilling to merely wait for a potential title opportunity that isn`t guaranteed. He commented, “I’m not going to wait around for something that’s not guaranteed. So if the UFC wants to do me and Shavkat, I’m fine with that. I know I’m the best fighter in the world, on this planet, so if I have to go beat Shavkat and then fight for the belt, I’m cool with that.”

He plans to attend UFC 315 on May 10, where Belal Muhammad will defend his welterweight belt against Jack Della Maddalena. Brady expects his next move to be determined after this event. “But I’m going to the fight May 10. If the UFC says to me, hey, you’re next, then that’s what next but if they have different plans, we’ll figure it out.”

Brady has received an invitation to be cageside for the Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena clash at UFC 315. While his ideal scenario is fighting the winner directly for the title, he isn`t intimidated by the potential challenge posed by Rakhmonov if that fight materializes instead.

Although Rakhmonov has built a reputation as a formidable and seemingly unstoppable force during his undefeated ascent, Brady has always identified potential vulnerabilities. Rakhmonov`s less-than-dominant showing against Ian Machado Garry last December only reinforced Brady`s perspective.

Drawing parallels with other highly-touted fighters, Brady explained, “Listen, the same thing with Khamzat [Chimaev], the same thing with Jack Della [Maddalena] before he has a tough fight. These guys all look like the boogeyman but if you go back far enough in their records, you can see them lose a fight. Everyone has holes. Everyone is human. So eventually you get exposed just like Khamzat did with Gilbert [Burns], like Shavkat did with Ian. You go back far enough, you can find stuff… [Shavkat beat] Wonderboy—amazing fighter but he’s not the Wonderboy that was stuffing all of Tyron Woodley’s takedowns back in the day.” He feels confident and sees a potential fight against Rakhmonov as favorable for him.

Crucially, Brady is focused on remaining active rather than waiting indefinitely. If an immediate title shot isn`t available, he intends to take on the next most significant challenge.

However, any definitive decisions regarding his next bout will be postponed until after UFC 315 concludes and the outcome of the Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena title fight is known.

Brady confirmed his plans, stating, “That fight’s going to happen, I’m going to be there. We’re going to see how that plays out. I’m watching that fight and then we’re making a decision after that. Nothing’s getting made before that.”

He believes this patient approach is logical and expects the UFC to agree. “It would be dumb of me and I’m sure the UFC is thinking the same thing, too. They want me there. They want me watching the fight and we’ll see how things play out and then I’m sure we’ll figure it out after that,” Brady concluded, anticipating that his next step will be determined in consultation with the promotion following the upcoming title fight.