Mar 22, 2025; London, England, United Kingdom; Leon Edwards (red gloves) fights against Sean Brady (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at O2 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images

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Leon Edwards Confirms UFC Comeback Date; And He Has A Plan To Get Back To The Top

Mar 22, 2025; London, England, United Kingdom; Leon Edwards (red gloves) fights against Sean Brady (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at O2 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images

Former champions don’t stay down for long, especially when they have tasted gold the way Leon Edwards has. The Birmingham native shocked the world when he knocked out Kamaru Usman at UFC 278 with that picture perfect head kick in the final minute. That moment turned ‘Rocky’ from a solid contender into a legitimate UFC champion overnight. But the fight game has a funny way of humbling everyone eventually, and Edwards learned that lesson the hard way over the past year. Two devastating losses stripped away his belt and his confidence, leaving him wondering if his championship run was just a lucky accident.

Edwards lost his welterweight title to Belal Muhammad last summer. Then Sean Brady beat him in London during what should have been a triumphant homecoming fight in March. Edwards has spent the months afterward in his brother’s corner. Fabian Edwards just won the PFL World Tournament with his big brother cheering him on, and now it’s Leon’s turn to get back in there. He’s confirmed his comeback date, picked his venue, and already has his eyes on reclaiming what he believes still belongs to him.

Leon Edwards Eyes November At Madison Square Garden

Edwards wants back on the biggest stage possible, and Madison Square Garden fits that bill perfectly. UFC 322 is expected to go down at the world’s most famous arena in November. The main event will most likely be Jack Della Maddalena defending his welterweight title against Islam Makhachev. Edwards sees that card as his perfect opportunity to remind everyone why he was champion not too long ago.

“November for sure. I think JDM is fighting Islam Makhachev at MSG so I want to be on the same card, you know? I feel good, I’ve been training and helping Fabian in camp. Now I’m ready to go,” said Edwards via Bloody Elbow.

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The timing makes complete sense from a strategic standpoint. Both Della Maddalena and Makhachev represent potential future opponents for Edwards if his comeback goes according to plan. Getting on that same card lets him scout both fighters up close while putting himself back in the spotlight. Madison Square Garden has a special energy that brings out the best in fighters, and Edwards probably figures he could use that extra boost after such a tough stretch. Plus, being on a card with a title fight guarantees plenty of eyeballs on his performance.

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There have been rumors that Leon Edwards’ opponent for UFC 322 will be Ian Garry. This makes perfect sense for both fighters right now. Edwards needs a strong comeback performance after losing back-to-back fights to Belal Muhammad and Sean Brady. Meanwhile the rising Irish prospect Garry would love to get a win over the former champion to cement his spot for the next title shot. Madison Square Garden in November would provide the perfect stage for both Edwards and Garry to show they belong at the top!

The Two Fight Plan Back to Championship Gold

Edwards isn’t just talking about one comeback fight, he has a whole roadmap planned out. The math he stated suggests Edwards believes he only needs a couple of impressive wins to earn another title shot. This isn’t unrealistic given his past achievements and the current state of the welterweight division.

“I’ve waited for the division to settle a little bit and now I’m ready to go. I’m one or two away from getting my belt back so I’m locking in and I’m going to get it done.”

While helping his brother prepare for the PFL tournament, Leon was probably studying tape and figuring out exactly how to navigate his way back to the top. The welterweight division has shifted since his losses, with new faces emerging and old contenders falling. Edwards seems confident that the landscape works in his favor if he can string together some quality victories.

(Image Credit: Peter van den Berg – Imagn Images)

Ian Garry

Islam Makhachev

Jack Della Maddalena

Leon Edwards

UFC 322

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!