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 Gets New Opponent For Highly Anticipated UFC 322!

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

The welterweight division never sleeps, and neither do the matchmakers at the UFC. Former champion Leon Edwards has been searching for the perfect opponent to help him bounce back from his recent struggles. The Birmingham native has faced some tough times lately, losing his title and then suffering another defeat that shocked the MMA world.

But sometimes the best medicine for a struggling fighter is a dangerous opponent who can either revive their career or send them further down the rankings. Dana White announced that Leon Edwards gets new opponent for highly anticipated UFC 322, and it’s exactly the kind of fight that could steal the show at Madison Square Garden.

UFC 322 is shaping up to be one of the biggest events of the year. The November 15th card already features some incredible matchups that have fans counting down the days. Islam Makhachev will make his welterweight debut against Jack Della Maddalena for the title. Valentina Shevchenko will also defend her flyweight crown against Zhang Weili. Adding Edwards to this stacked card makes perfect sense from both a business and sporting perspective.

Carlos Prates Gets His Dream Fight

Carlos Prates has been calling for this exact matchup for months. The Brazilian knockout artist specifically requested a fight with Edwards after his spectacular finish of Geoff Neal at UFC 319. Prates practically demanded the fight on social media and in interviews. His persistence finally paid off when White made the announcement on Instagram Live.

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A post shared by Leon "Rocky" Edwards (@leonedwardsmma)

Prates represents the perfect blend of opportunity and danger for Edwards. On one hand, the Brazilian is still climbing the rankings and doesn’t have the same name recognition as some other contenders. A convincing win over Prates would show that Edwards still has what it takes to compete at the highest level. However, Prates hits like a truck and has been finishing everyone they put in front of him. His recent knockout of Neal was absolutely brutal and served notice that he’s ready for bigger challenges. The Brazilian bounced back beautifully from his only UFC loss to Ian Machado Garry in April, proving he can learn from setbacks.

What’s At Stake Here For Leon Edwards And Carlos Prates?

Edwards (22-5)comes into this fight carrying the weight of two consecutive losses for the first time in his career. His title reign ended when Belal Muhammad outpointed him in a rematch. Then came the real shock: Sean Brady submitted him in March, something that seemed almost impossible given Edwards’ defensive skills and experience. These back to back defeats have some people questioning whether the former champion has lost a step or if he’s just going through a rough patch that every fighter faces.

The stakes couldn’t be higher for both men at Madison Square Garden. Edwards needs to prove that his recent losses were just bad nights rather than signs of decline. At 34, he doesn’t have unlimited time to climb back up the rankings and earn another title shot. For Prates, this represents the biggest opportunity of his career. Beating a former champion would launch him into title contention and justify all the trash talk he’s been doing on social media.

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

Carlos Prates

Leon Edwards

UFC 322

Zaid Quraishi

mma

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!