Din Thomas criticized Leon Edwards for lacking the heart of a true fighter, citing his recent losses and decisions in the octagon as evidence, despite acknowledging Edwards’s skills and past success.
Din Thomas has some strong opinions about Leon Edwards. He doesn’t think Edwards has the heart of a fighter. Ouch.
This past Saturday, at UFC London, things went south for Edwards against Sean Brady. Brady dominated most of the fight and finished Edwards with a mounted guillotine choke in the fourth round. Thomas, cornering for Brady, sensed the end long before the tap. For him, it was all over when Edwards shot for a takedown in the third round.
“When he did that, I got quiet,” Thomas shared on Anthony Smith’s podcast. “I looked at John Marquez, the head coach, and said, ‘Did he just try to take Sean down?’” Thomas knew then that Edwards had shown his hand. The fight was essentially over. “I couldn’t believe it,” he added.
Edwards is now on his first losing streak and far from title talks. Those losses have been tough pills to swallow. Thomas believes they reveal a harsh truth: Edwards might lack the fighting spirit needed at this level.
“I don’t want this to be disrespectful toward Leon,” Thomas clarified. “Skill-wise, he’s top-five material. But deep down? Not sure he’s a true fighter.” He compares Edwards to brawlers like Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier—guys who’d throw down anywhere.
Thomas thinks Edwards shines in the gym but struggles under the spotlight. Yet, despite this, he was good enough to beat almost everyone else.
This isn’t Thomas’s first critique of Edwards. During Edwards’ second bout with Kamaru Usman, Thomas noted a mental defeat before a miraculous comeback knockout. No miracle this time around though.
Thomas suspects even Edwards’s team knows this truth. “They want him to have more grit,” he said. They cheer him on because they know what’s missing could make him world champ again.
Interestingly, Thomas admits he didn’t have that fighter’s heart either. When things got tough, he’d pull guard or shoot takedowns—familiar territory for him.
And there you have it—a candid take from Din Thomas on Leon Edwards’s recent struggles in the octagon.