Leon Edwards is planning to return to the Octagon towards the end of this year, according to his brother Fabian, who is currently focused on his own middleweight title aspirations.
The former UFC welterweight champion lost his title to Belal Muhammad last summer at UFC 304 in Manchester. Following this, he experienced consecutive defeats for the first time in his professional career when Sean Brady secured a submission victory in the main event of UFC London last month.
Despite these setbacks, Leon Edwards has already resumed training, working on improving his skills. He is currently in Orlando to support his brother Fabian, who is competing against Impa Kasanganay, the 2023 champion, in the quarter-finals of the PFL World Tournament with a $500,000 prize.
Leon Edwards Aiming for Octagon Return in Late 2025
After his recent losses, Leon Edwards has returned to training to refine his techniques and prepare for a strong comeback to the UFC. However, his immediate focus is on supporting his brother Fabian Edwards in the PFL World Tournament.
Fabian`s participation in the knockout tournament involves potentially fighting three times: first, then again around late June, and a final match at the end of August, should he advance. This schedule would provide Leon with sufficient time to concentrate on his own career and prepare for another push towards championship contention.
“I think it’ll be a combination of both,” Fabian said, discussing his brother`s plans. “He’s training for his own development and to address areas needing improvement, while also supporting me. The plan is to develop, assist me, and then aim for a fight possibly at the year`s end.”
“He’s been observing my sparring sessions, traveled with me to Florida, and is in good spirits. He`s spending time with family and everyone… The UFC hasn`t traditionally favored us with easy matchups.
“They haven’t considered ‘who would be a stylistically favorable opponent for Leon,’ but rather ‘who can we put him against to hinder his wins?’ They`ve succeeded in the last two instances, but we persevere.”
“Our coaches simply advise ‘keep winning, and they can’t deny you.’ That’s what he did. He consistently won, earned a title shot, and defended his belt. Not many can claim that achievement, and it`s a part of history that can’t be erased.”
Fabian Edwards Discusses Brother’s Recent Defeats
The past year has been challenging for the Edwards family, with a 0-3 record across UFC and PFL events. Leon`s losses to Muhammad and Brady were compounded by Fabian`s unsuccessful attempt to regain Johnny Eblen’s Bellator title.
These circumstances have motivated Fabian, who spoke about how he and his brother have been coping with recent defeats.
“Whenever we enter a fight, we never anticipate losing,” Edwards stated. “Of course, it was difficult because Brady presented a tough stylistic challenge and had improved since his previous loss.
“So, we anticipated a tough fight, but that’s the nature of the sport… If he had suffered a severe injury, it might be worse. But going out there and not performing to his known capabilities is a hard pill to swallow, but it’s the path we’ve chosen.”
