ROCKY ROAD
UFC London: Leon Edwards suffers CRUSHING submission loss to Sean Brady as ex-champ suffers huge body blow to title bid
The former champ now has a 'Rocky' road back to welterweight gold
LEONS EDWARDS' hopes of a second crack at the welterweight title are in tatters following a dominant loss to Sean Brady.
The Brummie locked horns with the submission grappler in the main event of UFC Fight Night 255 in London on Saturday night.
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Edwards, 33, returned to the O2 for the first time since being dethroned as 170lbs champ by Belal Muhammad last July.
But his bid to become a two-time champion suffered a body blow thanks to Philadelphia pounder Brady, who submitted him in the fourth round of their clash at the North Greenwich dome.
An elated Brady said: “I took this fight the day I got out of the hospital with my wife and our newborn baby.
“I knew I could do that and I think I belong in the top three for sure.
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“Dana gave me a wonderful opportunity to come out here.
"I love the UK fans, sorry I had to do that to your boy but lots of respect.”
Brady came out guns blazing, throwing several combinations that forced the former champ to counter amid chants of "Rocky, Rocky, Rocky."
His early attempts to ground the fight through clinches were beautifully stuffed by Edwards, who landed knees at will to force separations.
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But he found himself on the canvas moments before the end of the first after a beautifully timed sweep from Brady.
Brady opted not to strike after the first restart, immediately shooting for a takedown.
UFC star Sean Brady sends chilling message to Leon Edwards
Edwards defended the initial attempt well but was eventually dragged to the canvas.
Brady stifled the former champion with crushing positional control, which briefly gave him the chance to get a kimura.
Edwards punished Brady's early aggressiveness in the third with a nasty counter elbow that forced a shot out of the Philly puncher.
Edwards defended it well before bizarrely shooting for a takedown of his own, which led to Brady gaining positional control and punishing him with yet more ground strikes before the stanza ended.
Perhaps wary of being taken down during prolonged striking exchanges, Edwards instinctively opted to go on the back foot early in the fourth.
That was all the invitation Brady needed to shoot for a takedown, which he got against the fence.
And the 32-year-old eventually transitioned to a guillotine choke, which was so tight that Edwards begrudgingly tapped.
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