Leon Edwards
Active 2014–present · rated in 4 editions · peak overall 92.0
Scouting report
A fifth-round head-kick knockout of Kamaru Usman at UFC 278 made Leon "Rocky" Edwards the undisputed UFC Welterweight Champion. Born in Kingston, Jamaica and fighting out of Birmingham, England, Edwards controls range with southpaw striking, clinch elbows, and defensive wrestling, mirrored in his 92 Kickboxing, 93 Fight IQ, and 92 Overall rating.
Peak ratings
By edition
Edwards assembled an eight-fight winning streak between 2018 and 2019, knocking out Peter Sobotta in London, defeating Donald Cerrone across five rounds in Singapore, outpointing Gunnar Nelson in London, and putting on a striking clinic against former champion Rafael dos Anjos in San Antonio. His southpaw boxing, clinch elbows, and wrestling defense are reflected in an 88 Boxing and 90 Cardio.
Surviving an extended pandemic layoff and eye-poke no-contest with Belal Muhammad, Edwards beat Nate Diaz by unanimous decision at UFC 263 in Glendale and earn a title shot. His combinations, takedown defense, and composure anchor his 90 Boxing and 91 Cardio.
Leon Edwards, the champion who wins with control and a late knockout
Leon Edwards was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and moved to Aston in Birmingham at nine. He started training MMA at seventeen. He won the BAMMA welterweight title and then joined the big promotion, where he lost a split decision to Claudio Silva on debut. After losing to Kamaru Usman in December 2015 he went on a long unbeaten run that included a no contest against Belal Muhammad in March 2021. In August 2022 he knocked out Usman in the fifth round to win the welterweight title, one of the best comebacks the sport has seen.
Edwards, by attribute
Boxing. Rated 91. He knocked out Seth Baczynski in eight seconds in 2015.
Kickboxing. Tied for the second highest at 92, level with cardio. His striking is behind the eight-second knockout of Baczynski, and he also beat Cerrone and dos Anjos on the scorecards.
Wrestling. Rated 88. In the third fight with Usman in March 2023 he defended 11 of 15 takedown attempts.
BJJ. Level with his strength at 85. Sean Brady finished him with a guillotine in the fourth round in March 2025.
Strength. Level with his BJJ at 85.
Durability. Rated 88. He took a hard shot late in the fifth round against Nate Diaz in 2021 and still won 49-46 on all three cards.
Cardio. Rated 92. He beat Colby Covington by unanimous decision over five rounds in December 2023.
Fight IQ. The top of the card at 93. He struggled for four rounds against Usman in the second fight and still found the finish in the fifth.
Fight IQ at 93 is why he wins the ugly ones
Fight IQ is his top rating at 93. The best example is the second Usman fight in August 2022. He struggled for most of the fight and stayed patient enough to land the shot that won it. In the third fight he made specific adjustments, defending 11 of 15 takedowns and out-striking Usman on the feet despite a point deduction for grabbing the fence.
A tie at 85 between BJJ and strength
Two ratings tie at the bottom of his card at 85, BJJ and strength, and both are still very good. The record shows what it looks like when they are tested. Belal Muhammad took him down throughout their title rematch in July 2024, and Brady submitted him with a guillotine in 2025, his first loss by finish. A committed grappler is the way to test him.
Keep exploring
Closest welterweight profiles to Leon Edwards, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Rory MacDonaldbest cardio 90 · weakest strength 82
- Shavkat Rakhmonovbest bjj 94 · weakest strength 88
- Rafael dos Anjosbest kickboxing 88 · weakest strength 82
- Jorge Masvidalbest boxing 91 · weakest wrestling 80
- Welterweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- The most complete fighters: a guide that fits Leon Edwards's strongest attribute, Fight IQ.
Draft Leon Edwards into your build
Leon Edwards enters the pool on any spin landing on welterweight between 2018 and present. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Leon Edwards is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Leon Edwards's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.