Edwards Channels Brother's Stunning Head Kick Ko In Win

Fabian Edwards won nan Professional Fighters League middleweight tourney and $500,000 (£369,000) prize pinch a stunning caput footwear knockout of Dalton Rosta successful Hollywood, Florida.

After a back-and-forth 2 rounds, Birmingham's Edwards unleashed a near precocious kick, sending nan American crashing to nan crushed arsenic nan referee waved disconnected nan contest.

The move mirrored his older relative Leon, who stopped Kamaru Usman successful 2022 pinch nan aforesaid footwear successful stunning manner to triumph nan UFC welterweight title.

Leon was cage-side for 32-year-old Edwards' triumph and gleefully joined his relative successful nan post-fight celebrations.

"That is crazy. God's sewage a funny measurement of working," said Edwards, aft being informed his brother's knockout happened almost 3 years agone to nan day.

"I said to my brother, 'I'm going to effort that shot'. I do that changeable good successful nan gym, and it worked beautifully."

Edwards' is nan 2nd Briton to triumph a PFL tourney wrong a week pursuing Alfie Davis' lightweight tourney triumph past week.

He is besides nan 4th Briton successful full to triumph pursuing Brendan Loughnane's featherweight triumph successful 2022 and Dakota Ditcheva's women's flyweight success past year.

Edwards said pre-fight he was viewing nan tourney last arsenic a world title bout aft losing contests for nan Bellator middleweight belt, now rebranded arsenic nan PFL title, to Johnny Eblen successful 2023 and 2024.

Following his nonaccomplishment to American Eblen successful October, Edwards built momentum again this twelvemonth pinch wins complete Impa Kasanganay and Josh Silveira to scope nan final.

Edwards started good pinch limb kicks, earlier Rosta, 29, ended nan first information connected apical aft landing a mates of takedowns.

Rosta wounded Edwards astatine nan commencement of nan 2nd information pinch a flurry of punches but nan Briton recovered and nan information played retired pinch nan brace grappling for position against nan broadside of nan cage.

Leon was heading for conclusion connected points erstwhile he stopped Usman successful nan last information 3 years ago, and though Edwards' triumph was not arsenic last-gasp and dramatic, it was each spot arsenic rousing.

After delivering nan last blow, Edwards was mobbed by his team-mates earlier he dropped to nan crushed successful tears, saying: "I've worked truthful hard."

An affectional Edwards was announced arsenic nan tourney victor earlier facing disconnected pinch PFL middleweight champion Costello van Steenis, who hit Eblen past month.

The PFL past announced Edwards and Spain's Van Steenis would compete for nan loop successful a conflict which is to beryllium announced astatine a day later this year.