5 Things You Need to Know About Leon Edwards

Leon ‘Rocky’ Edwards is currently #3 in the welterweight rankings. With a record of 18-3-0 (1 NC), he is on a nine-fight unbeaten streak right now. ‘Rocky’, who is known for his hard strikes and amazing takedown abilities, will see his abilities tested against one of the most aggressive fighters in UFC history at UFC 263.

Ahead of his bout against Nate Diaz, here is a list of things you should know about the British-Jamaican fighter.

Leon Edwards lost his father at a young age

The Jamaican-born Edwards lived with his mother, father, and younger brother. The family moved to London to help the children grow up in a better neighborhood.

Read More: Leon Edwards Reveals How He Found Out About His Dad’s Death

Unfortunately, it turned out to be a critical decision for his family as Edwards’ father was shot dead when the future UFC welterweight was still a teenager.

Edwards changed his life through MMA

As a teenager, Edwards’ mother asked him to join an MMA gym to get time away from his difficulties. This is what introduced ‘Rocky’ to mixed martial arts.

From that point in time, his life took a different path. He started taking MMA seriously and wanted to fight professionally. Rocky’s passion for the sport gradually increased, and the gym instructors spotted his natural talent. With his hard work, he ended up on the UFC roster. He changed his family’s fortune through MMA.

From Leon Edwards to ‘Rocky’

Leon Edwards is popularly known by his nickname, ‘Rocky’. The reason behind this name is his school friends. He started training MMA in his school days and gained a lot of attention from his friends because of his fascinating fighting style.

Hence, his friends started calling him ‘Rocky’. This shows us that like most MMA fighters, he, too, got a nickname at an early age.

‘Rocky’ has an eight-second KO under his belt

‘Rocky’ lost his UFC debut match against Claudio Silva via split decision. However, he rebounded against his next opponent Seth Baczynski with a first-round win via KO in just 8 seconds.

Edwards sent Baczynski to the ground with a hard left strike. He went to land follow-up strikes, but the referee called the fight off and handed him the win. This is a testament to his one-punch finishing power.

No fighter has finished Leon Edwards

Leon Edwards has an impressive 18-3-0 (1 NC) resume with a 10-2 (1 NC) run in the UFC. An astonishing fact is that he is yet to be finished as a professional MMA fighter in 22 bouts. (2 decision losses and 1 DQ loss)

‘Rocky’ is one of the best fighters on the UFC roster. However, he hasn’t won a title yet. That said, we can see him attain that in the future.

What do you think? Will he ever become a champion? Let us know in the comment section.

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