Sean Brady dominated former champion Leon Edwards at the UFC London main event, securing a victory with a guillotine choke in the fourth round after repeatedly taking Edwards down and controlling the fight, positioning himself as a top contender in the welterweight division.
Sean Brady made quite the splash by dominating former champ Leon Edwards at UFC London. With a guillotine choke, he sealed the deal in the main event on Saturday.
Brady stepped up on short notice after Jack Della Maddalena was pulled from the card. Despite this, he seemed more prepared, repeatedly taking Edwards down and outgrappling him.
After 15 minutes of control, Brady snagged a guillotine choke—one of his go-to moves. Edwards couldn’t escape, tapping at 1:39 in the fourth round. This marked Brady’s career-defining victory and made him the first to finish Edwards.
“It feels amazing,” Brady exclaimed post-fight. “I took this fight right after leaving the hospital with my newborn. I knew I could do it against anyone, especially a recent prestigious champion. Top three? Nah, top one for sure.”
Edwards initially showed no fear in the clinch, landing inside strikes. But Brady’s pressure led to a late takedown in the first round, though it was too late for much offense.
Once Brady secured that first takedown, it was all downhill for Edwards.
In round two, Brady shot across the cage like a cannonball, planting Edwards on the mat. He advanced position, took Edwards’ back, and rained down punches to set up submissions.
A scramble saw Brady in side control aiming for a kimura. Edwards defended well but ended round two enduring relentless ground and pound from the Philly native.
On his feet, Edwards tried showcasing his striking but botched a third-round takedown attempt. Brady seized a front headlock and mauled him with brutal punches while maintaining grappling control.
Brady punished Edwards on the ground relentlessly. As time ticked away, he locked in a guillotine from the top position for the win.
Under mounting pressure, Edwards tapped out, moving Brady closer to title contention.
“I said all week I wasn’t thinking about it but it’s pretty f*cking cool knowing I’ll be ranked No. 1 soon,” Brady said. “Dana and Hunter gave me this chance; I’m grateful.”
“I love UK fans—sorry for your boy,” Brady added. “I’ll do whatever Dana and Hunter want next but first, some downtime with my wife and newborn.”
What’s next for Brady is uncertain due to a past loss to Muhammad. However, dismantling Edwards positions him well in the division. A title shot depends on timing as Muhammad faces Della Maddalena in May with Shavkat Rakhmonov also in contention.