Leon Edwards grew up amid poverty and different other challenges. As the son of immigrants who left their native Jamaica for the UK when ‘Rocky’ was nine years old, his parents sought a better life for their three children.

Upon arriving in England without money, the family always struggled financially. As per the reports, to make ends meet and provide for his children, Edwards’ father would get involved in gang life, which would end tragically for him and his family. However, the single biggest influence in Rocky’s life, and the reason he is even a mixed martial artist, is his mother.

Meet Leon Edwards’ mother, who raised him after his father’s death

Leon Edwards’ father, Rufus was shot dead in the ‘Spotlight’ nightclub in the Bristol City neighborhood of Croydon in 2004 when Edwards was just 13-year-old. Eventually, the entire responsibility of raising Leon and his brother fell on his mother’s shoulders. The single mother would work multiple jobs to take care of her three young children, mostly working in the hospitality industry, which is notorious for its long hours and demanding working conditions.

On top of that, she was worried that her son might get involved in the wrong circles like his father on the streets of the impoverished neighborhood they lived in. So, she pushed ‘Rocky’ into mixed martial arts. Well, it is her work ethic and struggles that inspired the UFC star’s drive to work hard to be the best.

Leon Edwards surprises his mother with a special gift

Witnessing his mother’s relentless struggle and hard work motivated ‘Rocky’ to achieve success. He wanted to repay her by providing a good life, just as she had done for him and his siblings throughout their lives.

Therefore, it was no surprise that the first thing the Englishman did after becoming a champion was to buy his mother a restaurant, recognizing her lifelong work in other people’s establishments. Leon revealed that even at her advanced age, his mother was actively involved in the day-to-day operations of the restaurant.

“I gave her a car before, but this time she wanted like a restaurant. She’s a very good cook. She loves cooking. I kept saying I can get someone to work in there for you, but she said no, I want to work there, and I want to cook there – she wants to do it,” he said after defeating Kamaru Usman at their UFC 278 clash. While his mother is incredibly proud of ‘Rocky’s achievements and his fighting career, it is sometimes hard on her.

Leon Edwards’ mother’s reaction to famous ‘Nate Diaz’ moment

In 2021, ‘Rocky’ faced fan-favorite UFC superstar Nate Diaz on the main card of the UFC 263. While he dominated Diaz with his clinical and historically great striking for most of their five-round fight, there was one dicey moment that truly frightened Leon’s mother.

In the fifth round, despite being dominated by Leon, Diaz landed a fantastic left hook, rocking the Englishman. Fortunately for Leon, Diaz chose to taunt him instead of going in for the kill, giving him enough time to recover as the clock ticked down.

While the fight ended well for ‘Rocky’, who maintained his composure and ultimately prevailed, his mother had a very different reaction to seeing her son hurt by Diaz and on wobbly legs, as Leon revealed in a subsequent interview.

“She’s proper Jamaican Jamaican, you know. She was watching when I got rocked by Diaz. When I came back, I was like, ‘Mum, what did you do?’ Like what happened when? She was like, ‘I opened the window and started screaming ‘help!” Edwards said. What are your thoughts on Leon Edwards’ relationship with his mother?