Fabian Edwards says BAMMA fighters 'running scared,' plans to join brother Leon in UFC

Middleweight prospect Fabian Edwards has aspirations of joining his brother, Leon Edwards, under the UFC banner. And if things go according to plan, he said it could happen in the next 12 months.

“That’s the dream, and it’s not a dream that we don’t think can happen – it’s a dream we think will happen,” Edwards told MMAjunkie. “It could happen at the end of this year or beginning of next year. It’s a dream that will come true in the near future. So we’re just going to keep chipping away.”

There’s big things going on with the Edwards brothers. Leon, 26, competes against Peter Sobotta on Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 127 card in London, while Fabian, 24, is coming off one of the most impressive wins of his young career at BAMMA 34 earlier this month.

Knocked down ? armbar ? 4-0 for @fabian_edwardsmma #BAMMA34 • • • ?? @bammauk

A post shared by MMAjunkie (@mmajunkiedotcom) on Mar 9, 2018 at 2:02pm PST

Edwards (4-0) said he’ll corner his older brother for the fight against Sobotta, and for him, that’s a valuable experience. He thinks a UFC move is inevitable, but the opportunity to get comfortable with the ins and outs of the organization, “Helps me out for when I arrive,” Edwards said.

Although his attention is focused on aiding his brother through fight week, Edwards said it won’t be long until he’s back in the cage himself. He said he will be fighting at BAMMA’s May 12 event in Dublin, but as of now he doesn’t have an opponent confirmed, because, “Everyone is running scared.”

Edwards said the name or quality of his opponent is meaningless, because he’s ready to compete against anyone at any time. Edwards is self-aware to his position in the sport, and said if he wants to get noticed by the top-tier organizations, he needs to clean house against anyone BAMMA offers.

“It doesn’t matter who I’m fighting,” Edwards said. “If I can’t beat any of these guys they’ll put in front of me, I don’t deserve to get called up by the UFC. It’s as simple as that. It doesn’t matter who I’m fighting.”

Despite having just four pro fights on his record, Edwards said he’s already prepared for the UFC level. He had a lengthy amateur career to hone his skillset, and he said the constant presence of his brother has elevated his overall ability, as well.

“I feel like I’m more than ready for the UFC,” Edwards said. “If the UFC rang and said today, ‘There’s a dropout on the London card,’ I’d be jumping in right now. I feel like my level is high. I haven’t had the chance to show really how good I am. Obviously I’m 10-0 as an amateur, 4-0 as a pro. All finishes and one decision from my amateur days. I’m more than ready for the big show and ready to compete with the big guys.”

Edwards might feel ready for the UFC, but he said he’s not going to exhaust himself looking to get signed. He’s more than content with his current situation with BAMMA, and believes his move to the UFC will simply be part of his natural progression. He wants to join his brother in the octagon, though, and said nothing would be better than one day having the chance to share a fight card with his sibling.

“We haven’t fought on the same card, but it’s a dream,” Edwards said. “When he was in BAMMA I wasn’t fighting. I hadn’t even started yet. I’m still new to the sport, but I’ve taken to the sport very well. I think in the near future we will both be featured on a UFC card very well.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 127, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.