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Behind the glamor of being a UFC fighter lie stories of unprecedented struggles, and Leon Edwards will testify to that. Born to a father who became a gang leader to provide for his family, Rocky grew up in a violent neighborhood in Kingston, Jamaica.
ESPN released a promotional short to document Leon Edwards' life story ahead of his scheduled main event fight against Belal Muhammad on March 13th. Leon Edwards revealed the gut-wrenching details of his early life in the video.
Having witnessed the dark side of the world in Kingston, Edwards moved to the United Kingdom to support the Jamaican gangs financially.
"In Jamaica, the neighborhood that I was brought up in, it was a gang-infested neighborhood. Shootouts, drugs... It's weird to be normalized to hearing gunshots. But my dad was the gang leader... That's the reason why I came to the UK, to give money to Jamaica and to support the gangs," revealed Edwards.
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"Looking back at it now, as a man and in the circumstances that he was in, he did what he could do and provide for his family. I think any man would do the same in the circumstances. I love my daddy," said Leon Edwards.
MMA stopped Leon Edwards from getting trapped in a life of crime
Moving out of a violent neighborhood is never an easy escape and Leon Edwards found this out the hard way. Edwards' father was shot dead in London when he was 13 years old. This set Rocky on the same path as his father, and he got involved in unlawful activities during his teenage years.
However, a chance encounter with the sport of MMA and his mother's support changed Edwards' life. Leon Edwards' newfound passion for the sport helped him channel his energy in the right direction and leave his criminal past behind.
"I was walking past a newly built gym with my mum one day and she was like, 'You should give it a go.' I said, 'I'll do it just for you.' I walked to the gym and it fired me up. I fell in love with it. I was so intrigued by MMA, I started watching it every day on TV," revealed Edwards.
"It kind of dragged me away from the lifestyle. I was more in the gym than I was out on the streets. I am proud of myself to be able to not only change my life but to change other people's lives," added Edwards.
Leon Edwards has grown into one of the best UFC fighters in the welterweight division. Currently ranked No. 3 in the official UFC rankings, Rocky is riding an eight-fight winning streak and hasn't tasted defeat in nearly six years.
Edwards is scheduled to take on Belal Muhammad in a five-round main event fight at UFC Fight Night 187.
UFC president Dana White recently announced that an impressive win over Muhammad will guarantee Edwards a shot at the welterweight title currently held by Kamaru Usman.
