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‘Should’ve stuck to carpentry’ – Fabian Edwards on embracing defeat with UFC brother Leon ahead of $500,000 PFL fight
Fabian Edwards has no better man cornering him for his PFL main event fight tonight. Edwards takes on American Impa Kasanganay in the first round of his PFL middleweight tournament, with the winner of the whole thing eventually walking away with a whopping $500,000. Edwards starts his PFL world tournament on Friday night after two defeats in his last threeSportsfile - Getty He has been forced to face adversity just like his brother Leon, who lost at UFC LondonGetty By his side, just as usual, will be his older brother Leon Edwards, who is coming off one of the toughest losses of his career. Leon was dominated by Sean Brady at the top of UFC London’s bill last month after losing the UFC welterweight title to Belal Muhammad in Manchester. And just like his brother, Edwards too has been forced to face adversity. The 32-year-old is coming off the back of two gruelling title defeats to PFL middleweight king Johnny Eblen, who is undefeated in MMA. The losses are unfamiliar territory for ‘The Assassin’ who’s suffered just four defeats in his ten-year, 17-fight career. This time, though, he’s found strength in family – leaning on his brother as the two shared some grounding, honest conversations. “When it happens, it makes you think to yourself, ‘Ah, I should have stuck to the carpentry!’” Edwards told talkSPORT.com, referring to his time as a qualified carpenter in 2016 before he turned to professional fighting. He then worked as a cleaner at restaurants in Birmingham to avoid a full-time job as it would affect his training. “You know what it is with a loss,” Edwards continued. “I always say to people, there’s two things when you lose. How I look at it, you either quit or you keep going. “Obviously, keep going, it’s going to hurt. Quit, it’s also going to hurt. Edwards said fighters just have to accept going ‘through that period of taking the loss on your shoulder’Dave Pinegar - The Sun His brother Leon is a former UFC welterweight championGetty “So, it doesn’t matter what I say, it doesn’t matter what the coach says, there’s nothing that anyone can say that will make you think, ‘Oh, actually, I feel better now.’ “You just have to go through that period of taking the loss on your shoulder and just moving forward, and that’s how the game goes.” Leon shot to superstardom in Dana White’s promotion after his head kick from hell sent Kamaru Usman crashing into the canvas at UFC 278 in August 2022. He was subsequently crowned the UFC welterweight champion and etched his name into the promotion’s history books forever with the devastating head kick. ‘Rocky’ then retained his title against Usman in their rematch five months later before beating up Colby Covington to remain the best at 170-pounds. However, his title reign came to an abrupt end after Muhammad defied the odds to defeat Edwards via unanimous decision at UFC 304, before Brady added insult to injury in London last month. Edwards grew up under a tin roof in Jamaica with Leon and they now fight at the highest level in MMA Instagram @fabian_edwardsmma View Tweet: https://twitter.com/hashtag/PFLWorldTournament?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Leon was tasked with dealing with Brady’s elite grappling skills, but the 33-year-old failed to do so, and was ultimately dominated on his own turf, eventually succumbing to a fourth-round submission. His name has never been further away from a title shot in the last five years, yet his brother, of course, remains his No.1 supporter. “Changes can be made, and it’s all about how much do you want it?” Edwards said, responding to questions surrounding his brother’s future. “That’s how I look at things, how much do you want it? Do you want it enough to go through the changes? “Because Leon beat good wrestlers before, so it’s not a case of, ‘OK, he’s never fought good wrestlers.’ “It’s just, whatever changes need to be made, will be made, and you try again. You try again until you eventually say, actually, I’m finished. And like I said, I still think he’s got a lot of fight left in him. “You know when someone loses, and they’re kind of like, ‘Ugh,’ that’s when you know, ‘OK, it’s probably time for you to pack it in.’ “But after seeing now, obviously how upset he was, it shows how much he cares for this sport still. “So when you care that much about the sport, you’re willing to go in there and try your best to correct what needs to be corrected, and that’s it. Back to the drawing board we go.” Edwards has said fight with Kasanganay will decide who goes on to win the entire tournament, which lasts over several weeks. HIs fight headlines the opening lightweight and middleweight card at Universal Studios in Orland, Florida. For UK fans, the marquee fights will begin around 11pm GMT on Friday night, with the entire event to be shown live on DAZN.
Fabian Edwards has no better man cornering him for his PFL main event fight tonight.
Edwards takes on American Impa Kasanganay in the first round of his PFL middleweight tournament, with the winner of the whole thing eventually walking away with a whopping $500,000.
By his side, just as usual, will be his older brother Leon Edwards, who is coming off one of the toughest losses of his career.
Leon was dominated by Sean Brady at the top of UFC London’s bill last month after losing the UFC welterweight title to Belal Muhammad in Manchester.
And just like his brother, Edwards too has been forced to face adversity.
The 32-year-old is coming off the back of two gruelling title defeats to PFL middleweight king Johnny Eblen, who is undefeated in MMA.
The losses are unfamiliar territory for ‘The Assassin’ who’s suffered just four defeats in his ten-year, 17-fight career.
This time, though, he’s found strength in family – leaning on his brother as the two shared some grounding, honest conversations.
“When it happens, it makes you think to yourself, ‘Ah, I should have stuck to the carpentry!’” Edwards told talkSPORT.com, referring to his time as a qualified carpenter in 2016 before he turned to professional fighting.
He then worked as a cleaner at restaurants in Birmingham to avoid a full-time job as it would affect his training.
“You know what it is with a loss,” Edwards continued. “I always say to people, there’s two things when you lose. How I look at it, you either quit or you keep going.
“Obviously, keep going, it’s going to hurt. Quit, it’s also going to hurt.
“So, it doesn’t matter what I say, it doesn’t matter what the coach says, there’s nothing that anyone can say that will make you think, ‘Oh, actually, I feel better now.’
“You just have to go through that period of taking the loss on your shoulder and just moving forward, and that’s how the game goes.”
Leon shot to superstardom in Dana White’s promotion after his head kick from hell sent Kamaru Usman crashing into the canvas at UFC 278 in August 2022.
He was subsequently crowned the UFC welterweight champion and etched his name into the promotion’s history books forever with the devastating head kick.
‘Rocky’ then retained his title against Usman in their rematch five months later before beating up Colby Covington to remain the best at 170-pounds.
However, his title reign came to an abrupt end after Muhammad defied the odds to defeat Edwards via unanimous decision at UFC 304, before Brady added insult to injury in London last month.
Leon was tasked with dealing with Brady’s elite grappling skills, but the 33-year-old failed to do so, and was ultimately dominated on his own turf, eventually succumbing to a fourth-round submission.
His name has never been further away from a title shot in the last five years, yet his brother, of course, remains his No.1 supporter.
“Changes can be made, and it’s all about how much do you want it?” Edwards said, responding to questions surrounding his brother’s future.
“That’s how I look at things, how much do you want it? Do you want it enough to go through the changes?
“Because Leon beat good wrestlers before, so it’s not a case of, ‘OK, he’s never fought good wrestlers.’
“It’s just, whatever changes need to be made, will be made, and you try again. You try again until you eventually say, actually, I’m finished. And like I said, I still think he’s got a lot of fight left in him.
“You know when someone loses, and they’re kind of like, ‘Ugh,’ that’s when you know, ‘OK, it’s probably time for you to pack it in.’
“But after seeing now, obviously how upset he was, it shows how much he cares for this sport still.
“So when you care that much about the sport, you’re willing to go in there and try your best to correct what needs to be corrected, and that’s it. Back to the drawing board we go.”
Edwards has said fight with Kasanganay will decide who goes on to win the entire tournament, which lasts over several weeks.
HIs fight headlines the opening lightweight and middleweight card at Universal Studios in Orland, Florida.
For UK fans, the marquee fights will begin around 11pm GMT on Friday night, with the entire event to be shown live on DAZN.
