Leon Edwards
Jamaican-English mixed martial artist (born 1991)
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Key Takeaways
- Leon Edwards (born 25 August 1991) is an English professional mixed martial artist.
- A professional since 2011, Edwards formerly competed for BAMMA, where he was the BAMMA welterweight champion.
- Early life Edwards was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and lived with his parents and his brother in a one-room house.
- Edwards moved to the Aston area of Birmingham, England at nine years old.
- He was then involved in criminal activity such as drug dealing, street fighting, and knife possession along with others in his social circle, but was able to get out of his lifestyle at age 17, when his mother got him to join an MMA club.
Leon Edwards (born 25 August 1991) is an English professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former UFC Welterweight Champion. A professional since 2011, Edwards formerly competed for BAMMA, where he was the BAMMA welterweight champion. As of 3 February 2026, he is #8 in the UFC welterweight rankings.
Early life
Edwards was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and lived with his parents and his brother in a one-room house. Growing up, he was surrounded by crime, and his father was involved in what he describes as "questionable activities". Edwards moved to the Aston area of Birmingham, England at nine years old. In the early hours of 2 October 2004, when Edwards was 13 years old, his father, Rufus Edwards, was shot and killed in a nightclub in Croydon, London. He was then involved in criminal activity such as drug dealing, street fighting, and knife possession along with others in his social circle, but was able to get out of his lifestyle at age 17, when his mother got him to join an MMA club.
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
Edwards began his professional fighting career in 2010, making his debut as an amateur at Bushido Challenge 2 - A New Dawn. Edwards fought Carl Booth, winning via an armbar submission in round two.
Fight UK MMA
Edwards then signed a contract with Fight UK MMA. He debuted for the promotion against Damian Zlotnicki, winning via technical knockout in the first round. He had two more fights for the promotion, winning against Pawel Zwiefka and losing against Delroy McDowell via DQ by way of an illegal knee.
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