Sean Brady made a significant statement by decisively defeating former champion Leon Edwards, securing a mounted guillotine choke submission in the main event of UFC London on Saturday.
Stepping in on short notice after Jack Della Maddalena was removed from the card to contend for the welterweight title against Belal Muhammad at UFC 315, Brady appeared to be the more prepared fighter. He consistently took Edwards to the mat, out-grappling him throughout the contest.
After fifteen minutes of control, Brady capitalized in the fourth round, locking in a guillotine choke from top position – a signature move. Edwards was unable to escape, tapping out at 1:39. This victory marks the most significant of Brady`s career, making him the first fighter to ever finish Edwards.
“It feels amazing,” Brady expressed regarding his win. “To be honest, I accepted this fight the day after leaving the hospital with my wife and our newborn baby. I knew this was a fight I was capable of winning. I believe I can perform like this against anyone in the division. I demonstrated that against a highly regarded champion. I believe I belong in the top three, definitely top one.”
At the fight`s outset, Edwards displayed confidence in the clinch, utilizing short strikes against Brady. However, Brady`s persistent pressure eventually led to a takedown late in the first round, though insufficient time remained to mount a substantial attack.
Once Brady achieved that initial takedown, the momentum shifted decisively against Edwards.
As the second round commenced, Brady explosively shot across the cage, immediately grounding Edwards. From there, Brady advanced his position, taking Edwards` back and unleashing punches, seemingly aiming to set up submission opportunities.
A scramble ensued, resulting in Brady attaining side control and attempting a kimura. While Edwards defended effectively, the round concluded with Brady delivering ground and pound.
When the fight remained standing, Edwards attempted to showcase his striking. However, in the third round, he attempted a takedown of his own, which backfired severely. Brady swiftly secured a front headlock and proceeded to dominate Edwards on the ground with forceful punches while maintaining grappling control.
Brady relentlessly punished Edwards on the ground, leaving the former champion with no avenue of escape as time elapsed. Brady`s continued dominance culminated in him securing the guillotine choke and achieving the submission from the dominant top position.
Under mounting pressure, Edwards was compelled to tap, granting Brady the victory and propelling him closer to title contention.
“I mentioned all week that I wasn`t focused on rankings, but it`s pretty f*cking cool knowing I’ll be ranked No. 1 on Monday or Tuesday,” Brady stated. “But yeah, whatever Dana [White] and Hunter [Campbell] decide, these guys provided me with an incredible opportunity to compete here. I appreciate all the UK fans, sorry for defeating your guy, nothing but respect for you all. Whatever Hunter and Dana have planned for me next, that`s what we`ll do, but I`m going to take a couple of weeks to return home and relax with my wife and newborn.”
Brady`s future path remains somewhat unclear, particularly given a prior loss to Muhammad. However, decisively defeating a former champion like Edwards significantly strengthens his position in the division. Whether he receives a title shot may hinge on the timing of Muhammad`s bout against Della Maddalena in May and Shavkat Rakhmonov`s status as another leading contender in the division.
Wesley Dunham 
Marcus Blakely