After nearly two years, UFC returns to London.
This Saturday, UFC London takes place at the O2 Arena. Former welterweight champion Leon Edwards returns to the octagon for the first time since losing his title to Belal Muhammad at UFC 304. He faces rising contender Sean Brady in the main event.
MMA Fighting’s Alexander K. Lee, Mike Heck, and Jed Meshew discuss what’s important in this main event and other highlights of UFC London.
Heck: The welterweight championship picture is heavily influenced by this fight.
Leon Edwards headlines in his hometown after losing the title to Belal Muhammad. This fight is crucial for Edwards. Another loss would be a major setback. The UFC was hesitant to give him a title shot initially, but he earned it. After winning the title in a memorable finish and then decisions against Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, Muhammad defeated him.
Edwards now fights in London again, this time at a reasonable local time, against a strong opponent who isn’t a huge star. A loss here likely closes the door on another title shot for Edwards.
For Brady, not being a big name means he needs to keep winning to get a title opportunity. Muhammad has already defeated him decisively. A win over Edwards helps his title path, but a loss puts him further back. However, being among the top fighters in the world is still a great achievement.
Meshew: This is a title eliminator fight.
Edwards is a former champion and currently ranked No. 1 in the welterweight division. Brady is No. 5 with only one loss to Muhammad. Normally, this would clearly be a title eliminator. But the UFC in 2025 isn’t always straightforward.
Several factors complicate the welterweight division. Shavkat Rakhmonov is likely next in line for a title shot, regardless of the outcome of this fight or the upcoming Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena fight at UFC 315. Either Edwards or Brady will likely have to wait.
Islam Makhachev, the lightweight champion, also wants to fight for the welterweight title. If Muhammad loses the belt, Makhachev might get an immediate title shot due to his star power.
Therefore, the winner of Edwards vs. Brady will probably need another win to secure a title shot. Possible opponents include Ian Machado Garry or Joaquin Buckley, potentially in a title eliminator bout before Rakhmonov gets his title shot.
Lee: They are fighting for fan appreciation.
Edwards deserves another shot at Muhammad if he convincingly beats Brady. While fans might not be overly invested in the Muhammad-Edwards rivalry, Edwards was on a long winning streak before losing the title and has wins over Usman. Is it fair to make him work his way back to the top again?
Fairness isn’t always a factor in this sport. For Edwards, a strong reaction from the London crowd on March 22nd would be a good outcome. He likely needs another win anyway, so increasing his popularity with a dominant win over Brady is beneficial.
Brady can make a name for himself by shaking up the welterweight division. It’s an opportunity for him to break into the top 5.
Meshew: Yes, I think they are fighting for a title shot, possibly in their next fight.
The light heavyweight division changed significantly last weekend when Magomed Ankalaev defeated Alex Pereira. Before that, Pereira was the champion, and there was talk of him moving to heavyweight. Now, a rematch seems likely, and heavyweight plans are on hold.
This is good for Ulberg and Blachowicz. They are behind Pereira in the title line, but after that, the path is clearer. Ulberg, on an eight-fight win streak, could be a fresh challenger. Blachowicz, a former champion who fought closely with both Ankalaev and Pereira, might also get another title shot with an impressive win on Saturday.
Lee: Yes.
Pereira will likely get an immediate rematch, but if he takes a break, Blachowicz could step in. Blachowicz vs. Ankalaev 2 has potential, and Ulberg would be an exciting fresh challenger if he beats Blachowicz at UFC London. He’s got appeal, an exciting style, and is a new face.
Neither is guaranteed a title shot, and Ulberg might benefit more from a win, but the fight’s outcome will influence the matchmakers. If Blachowicz wins by grinding or Ulberg by a narrow decision, they might have to wait for the Pereira rematch.
Heck: Probably not immediately after UFC 313.
Ankalaev’s title win over Pereira affected Blachowicz and Ulberg. If Pereira had won, the winner of their fight might have been next. But with Ankalaev as champion, a Pereira rematch is likely, possibly in October in Abu Dhabi. This means a long wait, especially with fights like Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree coming up.
Blachowicz is in a tougher spot than Ulberg. Dana White disliked his first fight with Ankalaev, making a rematch less appealing. The winner of Blachowicz vs. Ulberg is in a good position, but will likely need another fight.
Lee: Trivia question: Which heavyweight has the longest active win streak in the UFC?
It’s Mick Parkin! Not Tom Aspinall or Jon Jones, but Parkin, who is 4-0 in the UFC and 10-0 overall. He and Waldo Cortes-Acosta are the hottest heavyweights. Parkin could further establish himself by beating Marcin Tybura.
Parkin could realistically challenge for the UFC heavyweight title in 2025.
With Jones inactive and Aspinall likely to defend soon, if Parkin gets a sixth straight win by summer, he could face Aspinall for the title.
Parkin vs. Tybura is a high-stakes fight at UFC London.
Heck: I’ll pick Molly McCann.
McCann is very popular at these UK events and a big fan favorite. She was originally scheduled to fight an opponent with a 0-4 UFC record, a fight she was likely to win decisively. Now, she faces a tougher debutante who won impressively on Dana White’s Contender Series.
McCann’s UFC job might not be in danger after losing three of four, but fan support will decrease if she goes 1-4 in this stretch. This is a crucial fight for McCann.
Meshew: I’ll talk about Lone’er Kavanagh.
Kavanagh makes his second UFC appearance after winning his debut against Jose Ochoa in November. He’s a Cage Warriors product and was a top prospect from Contender Series. Many are excited about Kavanagh. He’s from British Top Team and has potential in the flyweight division.
Kavanagh is energetic and explosive but controlled. He has good technique, defense, great kicks, and is composed. He has the qualities of a future title challenger and is only 25.
He fights Felipe dos Santos, a decent prospect who fought Manel Kape closely in his UFC debut. Dos Santos will be a tough test for Kavanagh.
This is an exciting fight.
