Brady sends Edwards stern warning ahead of UFC London clash

No.5 contender Sean Brady believes Leon Edwards is not focused on their welterweight clash in the main event of UFC London this Sunday (AEDT), but he thinks the former champ should be.

Edwards has spent most of this week talking instead about Belal Muhammad, the man who defied UFC betting odds last July to snap the Brit’s winning streak and take his belt.

In his pre-fight press conference, Brady made it clear that he thinks the 33-year-old is underestimating him.

“I think that’s a bad look on Leon to be thinking about other people when all I’m thinking about is fighting him,” Brady said. 

“He’s thinking about No.1 contenders, and getting back at Belal, and talking s*** about Belal. 

“But he’s got someone who’s trying to kill him Saturday night in front of him.

“He has more things to be concerned about than being a No.1 contender in the division.”

UFC bookmakers have Brady priced as a slight favourite to take out the main event at London’s O2 Arena on March 23.

If he does win, the American will likely become next in line for a title fight after Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena square off in May.

Brady is not looking that far ahead, however, and is simply eager to get the job done on Saturday.

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“I’m not trying to get a title shot out of this,” he said. 

“I’m not trying to rush it. 

“That’s what I did before in my career. I went into the Belal fight pushing for it so hard and it turned out that wasn’t the night for me. 

“So, I’m going to go out there, I’m going to do my job, get my hand raised by any means necessary, and then wherever I go from there, I go.”

In terms of how top bookmakers see the fight ending, BetOnline has a decision win for Brady ($2.40) as the shortest-priced method of victory.

However, the 32-year-old believes he is a genuine threat on the ground, saying, “I just think I’m a much bigger submission threat than a lot of the guys he’s fought, and I think I’m the biggest submission threat in the division.” 

Brady’s odds of winning by submission are $5 at BetOnline.

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