UFC-Rotterdam results: Leon Edwards survives knockdown, works to decision over Bryan Barberena

In a grinding welterweight contest, Leon Edwards survived a second-round scare to earn a decision win over a gritty Bryan Barberena.

The welterweight contest kicked off the main card of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 115 event, which streamed live on UFC Fight Pass from Ahoy Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

The two men started out in southpaw position, with Edwards holding the center as Barberena shifted side to side. Edwards was the quicker man in the early exchanges, and his snapping low kicks did some early damage. Barberena was largely patient to open, and Edwards certainly enjoyed the opportunity to strike on the feet. At the halfway mark of the first, a missed Barberena kick led to an Edwards takedown, and he moved quickly around to the back. Barberena seemed comfortable in the position, punching even as Edwards’ arm wrapped around the chin, but the opening round was clearly in the Brit’s favor.

Barberena turned up the aggression to start the second, and the pair quickly moved into the clinch. The two exchanged knees as they battled for position before eventually returning to the center. Barberena continued to keep the volume high as they progressed, though Edwards again caught a kick and pushed the action to the floor, taking the back in the process. Barberena wasted no time moving to his feet and looking to turn inside, eventually earning the position. Edwards dropped levels and looked for a takedown, but Barberena sprawled and peppered him with elbows, forcing him to back away.

The two traded shots in the pocket late in the frame before a big Barberena left sent Edwards to the floor. Barberena jumped on top and tried to finish, but Edwards survived until the bell.

Barberena came out firing in the third, and Edwards looked steady as he returned big shots. Quick strikes on the feet scored for Edwards before he decided to shoot inside, and while Barberena tried to reverse the action in the process, he ended up on the bottom. Barberena turned to his knees to escape, and Edwards happily took the back and looked for the choke, which simply wasn’t there. However, Edwards did have the legs locked around the body, securing his position. Barberena was gritty, as always, refusing to give up the submission and crawling to his feet with one minute remaining.

Barberena again turned inside and dropped in elbows while Edwards looked for takedown. Barberena hoped for a submission late, but Edwards battled him away until the bell, walking away with a decision win, 29-28 on all three judges’ cards.

Edwards (14-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) has quietly worked his way to a four-fight winning streak, while Barberena (13-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC) falls to 1-2 in his past three contests.

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 115 results include:

• Leon Edwards def. Bryan Barberena via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Darren Till def. Bojan Velickovic via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Mairbek Taisumov def. Felipe Silva via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 1:24
• Michel Prazeres def. Mads Burnell via submission (north-south choke) – Round 3, 1:26
• Rustam Khabilov def. Desmond Green via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
• Aleksandar Rakic def. Francimar Barroso via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Zabit Magomedsharipov def. Mike Santiago via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 4:22
• Abdul-Kerim Edilov def. Bojan Mihajlovic via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 2:32
• Thibault Gouti def. Andrew Holbrook via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 4:28

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 115, check out the UFC Events section of the site.