Edwards Opened as the Underdog
Leon Edwards opened as a slight betting underdog for his originally scheduled UFC London meeting with Jack Della Maddalena on March 22, 2025. The proposed welterweight main event at The O2 changed before the fighters could meet.
The January line favored the Australian
MMA Mania’s January 14 report listed Della Maddalena at minus 130 and Edwards at plus 110, citing BetOnline’s opening prices. Those were historical odds for the original booking.
Edwards was preparing to return after losing the welterweight championship to Belal Muhammad. Della Maddalena’s preceding appearance had produced a stoppage victory over Gilbert Burns before an extended injury layoff.
A championship opportunity reshaped the booking
In February, the UFC moved Della Maddalena into a title challenge against Muhammad at UFC 315. Sean Brady replaced him in the London headliner.
The replacement brought a different matchup for Edwards. Brady had rebounded from his own defeat to Muhammad with victories over Kelvin Gastelum and Burns before receiving the opportunity to face the former champion.
Both revised assignments produced decisive outcomes
Brady submitted Edwards with a mounted guillotine at 1:39 of the fourth round in London. His grappling took over after an opening round contested on the feet.
Della Maddalena then defeated Muhammad by unanimous decision at Bell Centre in Montreal on May 10, 2025. Scores of 48–47, 48–47 and 49–46 won him the welterweight title, while the original Edwards pairing remained an abandoned booking rather than a completed fight.
Sources
- MMA Mania: January opening odds and original booking context
- MMA Fighting: replacement announcement and Brady’s preceding wins
- UFC: Brady’s submission victory
- UFC: Della Maddalena’s championship-winning decision
