UFC fans around the world are waking up this morning to some enormous fight news; with three world title bouts and several main event switch-ups announced by Dana White.
Former welterweight champion Leon ‘Rocky’ Edwards was originally meant to headline the upcoming UFC Fight Night: London card against Australia’s Jack Della Maddalena.
Maddalena has now been removed from that UK card, with a replacement opponent having already been revealed – unfortunately, it’s another ‘nightmare’ matchup for the popular British striker.
Michael Bisping declares UFC London a ‘nightmare’ for Leon Edwards
Jack Della Maddalena is out of his UFC London main event against Leon Edwards – in steps American wrestler, Sean Brady.
News of the UFC Fight Night London switch-up certainly caught fans by surprise, with Hall of Famer Michael Bisping being one of the first to share his reaction.
“This is kind of a nightmare situation for Leon Edwards,” declared the former middleweight champion via his YouTube channel.
“I’m not saying that Leon can’t beat him but stylistically and on short notice, this is a very, very different fight. And potentially a harder fight than [against] Jack Della Maddalena.
“Styles make fights, and Leon is a sniper on the feet. Of course, he’s got great takedown defense and was able to take down Kamaru Usman – we know he’s well-rounded.
“But when you’re training for Jack Della Maddalena, and you’re focusing on boxing, a stand-up affair where you’re not really working on the takedown defense – and all the variety of madness of the Jiu-Jitsu world that Sean Brady does offer, it’s a big mix-up.”
Aside from a shock TKO loss to Belal Muhammad in 2022, Sean Brady has been near-perfect inside the UFC octagon; going 7-1 in the promotion with notable wins over Gilbert Burns, Kelvin Gastelum, Michael Chiesa, and Jake Matthews.
Back to Bisping, who noted that whilst training for grappling-heavy fighters certainly isn’t something new to Leon Edwards’ career, such a late switch-up will cause havoc for his gameplan.
“Everyone that Leon Edwards fights, they’re all trying to take him down, so in a way, nothing changes for him… Yes, it’s not Jack Della Maddalena trying to box and piece him up on the feet; it’s Sean Brady, who dominated Gilbert Burns last time out, who’s going to be trying to take him down.
“It’s the exact same fight essentially, stylistically, that Leon had last year in Manchester when he lost the belt… That’s why I’m saying it’s a bit of a nightmare.”
UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs Brady is scheduled for March 22.
A recap of the insanity that was last night’s UFC announcements
Jack Della Maddalena out, and Sean Brady in, was one of several enormous pieces of fight news shared by Dana White during last night’s Instagram Live session.
The Australian boxer will instead now take on welterweight champion Belal Muhammad in the main event of UFC 315 in May – Shavkat Rakhmonov has revealed that he’s out with an injury.
The co-main event of that PPV card in Canada will be a flyweight title fight between Valentina Shevchenko and Manon Fiorot.
White also confirmed that featherweight champion Ilia Topuria has vacated his UFC title and will be moving up to lightweight.
In his place, Alexander Volkanovski will take on Diego Lopes for the vacant title at UFC 314.
Also added to that UFC 314 card is Michael Chandler vs Paddy Pimblett, with former Bellator world champion Patricio ‘Pitbull’ set to make his UFC debut against Mexican standout Yair Rodriguez.
Three world title fights, and several main event switch-ups – just another day at the UFC office.