In Conversation With Leon Edwards – “Fighting is a rhythm, mentally, music helps you whilst training”

It’s just under two months until Leon “Rocky” Edwards gears up for his highly anticipated welterweight bout with Jack Della Madellena on March 22nd at The O2 in London. “I’m in a good place physically and mentally. I’m excited. This is the first striker that I’ll be fighting in about five years”, says Edwards, wearing a beaming smile at the thought of his upcoming fight.

Edwards made history in August 2022 when he delivered a thunderous head-kick knockout in the final round to dethrone Kamaru Usman, earning the world champion status with the belt in his possession and title in his name. His ascension to the very top did not come without years of dedication and resilience, however, turning a life of adversity into a journey of triumph and achievement. “I was born in Kingston, Jamaica and moved to the UK when I was ten years old – my dad brought me over, but he passed when I was thirteen”.

Leon’s father was murdered in a nightclub in Croydon back in October 2004, something which led him away from the straighter narrow for a short time before he discovered MMA a few years later. “I got involved with mixed martial arts at sixteen or seventeen and went on a quest to be world champion. I achieved that”.

Having been shocked by Belal Muhammed at UFC 304 in Manchester, who was awarded a unanimous decision in July last year, Edwards was still evidently burning with desire to regain the world championship belt, and his upcoming fight in March is step one to reclaiming that status. “I’m confident – it’s my third main event at The O2, and the crowd is always crazy. I am excited about it. I love fighting there, the energy is perfect. I live in Birmingham, so it’s only two hours away from my house”.

His opponent, 28-year-old Australian-born Jack Della Maddalena, who has won his first seven fights in the UFC division, said in an interview with Ariel Halwani this week that he views this fight as step one of his journey to get a world title fight opportunity. However, when asking Leon whether he believes anything about Maddalena’s playstyle will be a potential threat, Leon replies, “Not really – every fight is dangerous, you have to take every fight seriously. He’s a good, tough up-and-comer, but I’m going to show everyone that I’m a better mixed martial artist. I need to bring in the right sparring partners – every training regime is similar, but tactically, this might be different – I’m looking at this as another title fight”.

Learning of his passion for grime and bashment music before conversing, turning the focus away from his upcoming fight for a short while, we discussed the impact music has had not only on his training regime but the sport as a whole. “Fighting is a rhythm, mentally, music helps you whilst training. Music and fighting have always been intertwined. What I listen to depends on what mood I’m in… it could be some bashment, DMX, some grime music such as Ghetts or even some slow jams”. Highlighting the cultural influence into his musical choices whilst training, Leon further adds “with reggae and bashment from when I was a kid, I was listening to Sizzla, that’s my culture in Jamaica. When I moved to the UK, being a young man on the road, I was introduced to grime – I remember watching Lord Of The Mics – that’s what I grew up on”.

Aligning with his iconic walkout song, ‘Shabba Madda Pot’ by Dexta Daps, after probing the reason behind the choice, Leon explained, “I was training one camp, and that was just all I was listening to. If I go to the gym, I put it on, and I feel good. This one, I might change it up, but I’m not sure what I want yet—we’ll see.”

It was impossible not to resurface the memories and feelings surrounding his knockout win against Kamaru Usman in 2022 for the world title. His victory speech, viewed almost six million times on UFC’s official channel and much more on other social media, is widely recognised as one of the most iconic post-victory speeches.

Reflecting on his world-title-winning fight, Leon tells me, “I still get goosebumps. Seeing how much it meant to other people, I had grown men coming up and telling me how they were crying while watching it. Everyone knows the journey was hard and the resilience I showed to reach my goal. It’s a great feeling when people come and tell me just how much it also meant to them”.

After the fight, a video did the rounds on social media, showing Leon visibly emotional whilst calling his Mum after winning the world title. In what was the pinnacle moment for Edwards after almost fifteen years of dedication, hard work and resilience, his authenticity in character shone through in the conversation he had with his mother. “Family is everything. From young it’s been that way. From when my Dad immigrated to the country to provide a better life for his family. I’m happy I was able to use the opportunity he gave us to become what I have become now. Family is everything”, Leon tells me as we talk about that moment.

An inevitable role model and major influence to so many around the world regardless of their career path, there felt no better time than to ask Leon how best our younger audience can go about chasing their goals and passions. “Putting God first and having a plan behind what you are trying to achieve. In this world, it’s easy to get distracted by social media and going out – it’s about having a plan. You’ve got to study it, know everything about it – and do it day in, day out. Put your time into it, and work hard at it. You’ll go further doing this than what you would if you didn’t do it”.

Leon Edwards returns to London on March 22 at UFC® FIGHT NIGHT: EDWARDS vs. DELLA MADDALENA. Tickets go on sale from 10 a.m. GMT on Friday, January 24 via  UFC Tickets | Martial Arts Tickets | Ticketmaster UK