UFC Welterweight Champion, Leon Edwards has some enterprise to settle when he steps into the Octagon for an eagerly anticipated rematch in opposition to Belal Muhammed on July 27, to headline UFC 304. MMA followers know that he’ll try to erase recollections of their earlier conflict in 2021, when Edwards unintentionally poked his opponent’s eye resulting in a no contest.
However for his man, who is understood to his associates as “Rocky,” being a champion can also be about illustration, and giving all the things to the coaching course of. M&F sat down with the 32-year-old, who stands 6-feet-tall, between grappling and boxing classes, to get his ideas simply days out from the largest bout of his profession.
You moved to Birmingham, England, with your loved ones as a teenager, however you had been born in Kingston, Jamaica and have turn out to be the primary Jamaican born UFC champion. You need to really feel proud that you just get to characterize your homeland?
100%. To be born in Jamaica, not understanding what blended martial arts was, to emigrating to the UK and changing into the world champion, it’s a loopy story, so I’m very proud to characterize all of the individuals in Jamaica.
Does this make you’re feeling an additional accountability by way of the way you conduct your self as champion?
It’s good illustration, you understand? For both Jamaican’s or the UK. One thing for teenagers to look as much as, and be like; ‘okay, I could be myself and likewise obtain greatness.’ (It’s about individuals pondering) ‘I don’t have to alter, or be a sure technique to turn out to be champion.’ I believe it’s about being your self, and being humble, and you’ll obtain your desires.
Youth sports activities was crucial to serving to you attain your potential as a person and helped to maintain you away from a number of the unfavourable influences which are out on the streets (Edward’s brother was tragically shot in a London nightclub). How vital is it for governments all around the globe to spend money on youth sport sources?
I really feel prefer it’s crucial. Even the YMCAs. Once I was a child, there was a whole lot of YMCAs round, clearly, in impoverished areas, with music, soccer, and totally different sports activities, and after faculty you possibly can go there however they’re all closed down now, so I really feel prefer it’s positively vital. Sports activities modified my life and it will probably assist to alter different child’s lives.
You might be recognized for figuring out very arduous within the gymnasium and never simply contained in the cage. We’ve seen you crushing deadlifts and operating with the weighted sled. How impoartant is that this to your coaching?
Being within the gymnasium simply helps, additionally with my psychological well being, even when I’m not in coaching camp for a combat, I’m all the time within the gymnasium, coaching and studying and bettering. So, whether or not it’s for common health, or your purpose is to be a fighter, no matter you select to do, being within the gymnasium positively helps.
Should you get a session the place you possibly can select your individual workout routines, what do you gravitate to?
I begin out with a little bit of cardio, then I’d usually do a whole-body exercise. I do chest, again, legs, multi functional. I discover simply doing weights, or simply doing chest alone is a bit boring, so I must get my coronary heart fee up, and sweat a bit of bit, and that’s after I really feel the perfect.
Those that have by no means tried MMA, in all probability can’t comprehend how a lot energy is required to maneuver the cussed body weight of an opponent. How do you’re employed on that?
The easiest way to get higher energy and cardio for combating is in truly doing it, whether or not it’s combating or wrestling, jiu-jitsu. You’ll be able to run all you need, and be match when operating, nevertheless it’s two totally different cardio programs (in comparison with) wrestling.
What do you wish to eat and are there any dietary supplements which are a staple?
Within the morning, after I get up, I’ll have breakfast; usually porridge oats with a scoop of Myprotein Impression Whey Protein in there. I’ll have that with bananas and almond butter. I attempt to eat each 3 hours, principally. I’m coaching twice, typically three time a day, and the physique is simply consistently burning (energy), so that you gotta hold fuelled to really feel energized in your classes. I like hen. In camp, I usually eat much less pink meat and extra hen and fish as a result of I’ve to maintain my weight down as properly. Generally I’ll have a steak, however not typically while in coaching camp.
I’m very large on vitamin D, and magnesium, zinc, so far as dietary supplements. I’ll combine my Myprotein shakes with Myprotein creatine, and I additionally wish to drink electrolytes.
You might be pulled in all types of various instructions with coaching and likewise media earlier than an enormous combat. How do you spend your downtime when you get any?
I like to observe TV, and play video games. Simply chill, and attempt to take my mind away from desirous about the combat, and let my physique relaxation earlier than the subsequent session. Or have a nap. [laughs]
Do you may have any rituals on combat day?
The day of the combat, I wish to go for an extended stroll with everybody on my crew. It’s a from of meditation, clear your ideas, get all of your gameplan so as, ask the coaches some questions, and simply get some contemporary air as an alternative of simply sitting round.
Your title protection on July 27 on UFC 304 will happen in Manchester, England. Out of your perspective, what are a number of the positives about combating in your house nation?
For me, it’s having my family and friends there. I’m combating in Manchester, it’s solely an hour and a half’s drive away from my home, so it’s excellent and I’ve by no means misplaced a combat within the UK, and I like being at residence. I like being round my family and friends. It provides me further motivation to go on the market and carry out.
You need to really feel like you may have unfinished enterprise with Belal Muhammad, what would you wish to say to your followers who can be watching?
Simply, thanks for the help, you understand? I’m going on the market to place all of it on the road. I actually imagine I’ll end him and I’m excited to go on the market to carry out for the UK and for Jamaica, and for everybody, simply displaying that I’m the perfect welterweight there’s, and I’ll proceed displaying that.
Watch UFC 304 dwell at 10pm ET on July 27 (3 a.m. July 28 within the UK) by way of EPSN+ PPV and TNT Sports activities.
