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Sean Brady Emerges as a Top Contender in the Welterweight Division
In a stunning display of skill and determination, Sean Brady has solidified his status as a top welterweight contender. The Philadelphia fighter made a significant impact Saturday night at UFC London, delivering a commanding performance against Birmingham's Leon Edwards at The O2 Arena. Brady showcased his wrestling prowess, dominating the match for three rounds before finishing Edwards with a guillotine choke at 1:39 of Round 4, improving his UFC record to 8-1.
"I took this fight the day I got out of the hospital with my wife and our newborn baby," Brady revealed after the fight. "I knew I could perform well here. I have the ability to compete with anyone in this division, and I just proved that against one of the most respected champions recently. I believe I deserve to be in the top three, if not at the top of the UFC welterweight rankings."
For Brady (18-1), this fight was a golden opportunity after Edwards' original opponent, Jack Della Maddalena, was pulled to challenge Belal Muhammad for the welterweight title at UFC 315. This unexpected turn allowed Brady to step in and face a former champion like Edwards (22-5, 1 NC).
The bout kicked off with Brady setting an aggressive pace, matching Edwards' striking in the first round before executing a late takedown. Once he realized he could control Edwards on the ground, Brady established a game plan that worked effectively throughout the fight. He opened Round 2 with a powerful double-leg takedown, maintaining dominance as he landed significant ground strikes. Brady continued this strategy into the third and fourth rounds, eventually achieving full mount and locking in the fight-ending guillotine.
Brady finished the fight with an impressive 5-of-7 on takedown attempts and accumulated an astounding 10:16 of control time during the last 11:39 of the match, while outstriking Edwards 221 to 23 in total strikes.
This victory marks Brady's third consecutive win since his only professional loss to Muhammad in 2022. He previously secured a third-round submission against Kelvin Gastelum and a decision victory over Gilbert Burns.
On the other hand, Edwards has now suffered back-to-back losses for the first time in his long MMA career. His last defeat came in July when he lost to Muhammad while attempting to defend his UFC welterweight title for the third time.
In the co-main event, hard-hitting contender Carlos Ulberg triumphed over former UFC champion Jan Blachowicz in a tactical light heavyweight clash that featured low-volume striking.
For complete results and highlights from UFC London, including Uncrowned's detailed play-by-play coverage of the main card, see below.
Main Card Results
• Welterweight: Sean Brady def. Leon Edwards via fourth-round submission (guillotine) at 1:39 | Watch finish
• Light Heavyweight: Carlos Ulberg def. Jan Blachowicz via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Welterweight: Kevin Holland def. Gunnar Nelson via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Strawweight: Alexia Thainara def. Molly McCann via first-round submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:32 | Watch finish | McCann retires
• Lightweight: Chris Duncan def. Jordan Vucenic via second-round submission (guillotine) at 3:42 | Watch finish
• Featherweight: Nathaniel Wood def. Morgan Charriere via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Preliminary Card Results
• Lightweight: Chris Padilla def. Jai Herbert via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Flyweight: Lone'er Kavanagh def. Felipe dos Santos via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Heavyweight: Marcin Tybura def. Mick Parkin via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Middleweight: Christian Leroy Duncan def. Andrey Pulyaev via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
• Strawweight: Shauna Bannon def. Puja Tomar via second-round submission (armbar) at 3:22 | Watch finish
Bantamweight: Caolan Loughran secured a hard-fought victory over Nathan Fletcher, winning by split decision with scores of 29-28, 28-29, and 29-28, showcasing his tactical prowess and resilience throughout the match.
Lightweight: Kaue Fernandes delivered a dominant performance against Guram Kutateladze, earning a unanimous decision victory with all judges scoring the bout 30-27 in his favor, highlighting his striking accuracy and control inside the octagon.