Leon Edwards’ incredible legacy is secure
Leon Edwards is one of the best welterweights on the planet. However, after losing his last bout to Belal Muhammad, many have wondered what he has left to give in mixed martial arts. We’re here to tell you one thing: it really doesn’t matter.
At the age of 33, it’s feasible to think that Leon Edwards could work his way back to another UFC welterweight title opportunity. With that being said, we don’t think anyone has ever been able to secure their legacy in MMA so emphatically with one swing of a leg.
Back at UFC 286, Leon Edwards did what many thought was impossible – he knocked Kamaru Usman out cold. It was one of the most shocking moments in the history of the UFC, and following that, he successfully defended the strap against Usman before going on to do the same thing against Colby Covington.
The ballad of Leon Edwards
When you can achieve something like Leon Edwards did, everything else is just a bonus. Yes, he fell short against Belal Muhammad and yes, he’s going to have a tough time against whoever he faces at UFC London in the first quarter of 2025. Still, we don’t think it’s possible to overstate the importance of what he achieved on that night in Utah against ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’.
He took a 3-1 deficit on the scorecards and turned it right on its head, before giving one of the most iconic post-fight speeches of all time. When you think about true ‘Rocky’ moments in mixed martial arts, this is easily one of the first few that comes to mind – perhaps alongside something like Matt Serra’s tremendous win over Georges St-Pierre.
We know that it could all go downhill from here in terms of his results inside the cage. Alas, with a legacy like this, does it really matter?
