Leon Edwards finds himself in unfamiliar territory after suffering the first stoppage loss of his career in the UFC London main event against Sean Brady.

Since losing the welterweight title to Belal Muhammad in July 2024, Edwards (22-5 MMA, 14-4 UFC) is now on his first losing streak after being submitted by Brady (18-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) in the fourth round of their headliner at The O2 in London.

Given the well-documented struggles Edwards faced in securing his initial title shot, questions are mounting about what his path back to the top might look like. With his defeat in London, Edwards joins a troubling trend for former UFC champions, who are now just 1-6 in the promotion in 2025, with Jiri Prochazka being the only former champion to secure a win this year.

Unfortunately, history suggests that things could get worse for the 33-year-old. Many former champions have lost their titles only to fall into prolonged losing streaks that tarnish their legacies. Anderson Silva, despite being widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time, is a prime example. After losing his middleweight title, Silva went on to lose six consecutive fights, leaving a lasting impression on a newer generation of fans that overshadowed his dominance.

Can Leon Edwards make a comeback?

While Leon Edwards, is certainly a world class fighter, one should not forget that he is not getting any younger. In a division as competitive as welterweight with many young hungry fighters, it is unlikely that Edwards will make it back to being a champion. 

As far as his next move is considered, Edwards finds himself in a predicament. He will most likely take some time off and return with the expectation of breaking his losing streak. 

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