Leon Edwards did not understand Sean Brady ‘was that small’ till first UFC London faceoff

LONDON – Leon Edwards didn’t understand how a lot of a dimension benefit he had over Sean Brady.

Edwards (22-4 MMA, 14-3 UFC) meets Brady (17-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC Struggle Evening 255 (ESPN+) essential occasion at The O2 in London. The pair faced off for the first time in front of The O2 earlier this week, and it left Edwards slightly pleasantly shocked.

“I didn’t know he was that small,” Edwards advised reporters, together with MMA Junkie, at UFC Struggle Evening 255 media day. “I used to be strolling in direction of him and he had his again turned to me, and I seemed over and was like, ‘The place the f*ck is Sean?’

“Then he circled and I used to be like, ‘What the hell?’ So yeah, I feel he’s about 5’8, 5’9 most likely. I really feel like the dimensions distinction, the attain, and the energy will play a giant half within the battle.”

Edwards’ previous 4 fights have come in opposition to elite grapplers within the division, and he sees Brady as no totally different – exterior of 1 tendency he sees himself capitalizing on.

“I feel it’s fairly comparable so far as the wrestling takedowns,” Edwards mentioned. “He’s most likely received extra submission threats because the (Kamaru) Usmans and Colbys (Covington) and Belal (Muhammad). They’re extra like driving stress sort of wrestlers.

“He’ll go for stuf,  which is able to give me extra space to stand up mainly or to re-attack. So, when you see him within the Burns battle, Burns was capable of stand up each time and he re-attacks each time as a result of he sort of creates scrambles whereas different guys are extra stress wrestlers, I might say most likely.”

Brady predicted a submission win, however having by no means been submitted or completed, Edwards doubts that occurs. Welterweight champion Belal Muhammad scored a TKO finish of Brady at UFC 280, which provides Edwards confidence in what he can do.

“I can’t see that taking place. I’ve by no means been in a submission risk in my profession actually,” Edwards mentioned. “I fought higher jiu-jitsu guys than him. If Belal can cease you with punches, I’m going to harm you. Seeing the dimensions distinction, I really feel like as soon as he feels my physicality, I really feel like I’ll cease him.”

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC Fight Night 255.