Former welterweight champion Leon Edwards has been told to retire immediately after suffering a devastating knockout defeat to Carlos Prates at UFC 322 – his third consecutive loss. Edwards, once one of the division’s most consistent performers, was stopped for the first time in his career after Prates dropped him with a straight punch and finished the fight with ground-and-pound in round three.
Ian Garry, who was previously linked to a grudge match with Edwards, publicly urged him to step away from the sport, writing: “Leon, retire,” while also calling for Prates vs Michael Morales in a No 1 contender bout.
In the main event, Islam Makhachev dominated Jack Della Maddalena to win the welterweight title. The new champion said he would be open to facing rising contenders like Prates or Morales next, though he noted that neither had shown anything that surprised him.
