"Shows him the famous headkick next" - Leon Edwards pinning down British soccer legend Rio Ferdinand leaves UFC fans amused

Leon Edwards has put on a dominant display of his grappling prowess against fellow UK sports star Rio Ferdinand. The 32-year-old Edwards is the reigning UFC welterweight champion. While 'Rocky' commenced his MMA career as a striking specialist, he's significantly evolved in the grappling realm too in recent years.

On the other hand, Rio Ferdinand is widely heralded among the greatest English football/soccer players ever. The 45-year-old primarily played as a centre-back. He represented the English national team from 1997 to 2011, besides also competing in the Premier League for notable teams such as West Ham United and Manchester United.

Following his retirement from soccer, Rio Ferdinand gradually cemented his place as a prominent sports analyst and on-screen personality for TNT Sports. On that note, given TNT Sports' business affiliation with the UFC, the former soccer player seems to have visited UFC champion Leon Edwards for a friendly training session.

In a video filmed by Leon Edwards' fight camp, Team Renegade of Birmingham, UK, Edwards appeared to have taken Rio Ferdinand down. He can be seen pinning Ferdinand down during a grappling exchange inside an MMA cage. Both sports stars were all smiles during the exchange, which 'Rocky' seemed to dominate with ease.

MMA and UFC fans subsequently weighed in on the video, which was posted to the UFC on TNT Sports Instagram handle. In the comments section of the Instagram video, some fans jested that 'Rocky' should've shown the soccer great his iconic head kick or perhaps elbowed him. One fan wrote:

"Fingers crossed he shows him the famous headkick next"

Additionally, one fan lauded Edwards for having an aesthetic physique. Another fan alluded to Ferdinand's impressive build and jestingly suggested that the soccer icon ought to be tested for PEDs (Performance Enhancing Drugs) by USADA.

Some Instagram users joked about the "bromance" between them, whereas others highlighted the rough play and pointed out how Edwards' skill helped him get the better despite apparently giving up size to Ferdinand. One fan labeled Ferdinand a "rat" and indicated that the MMA star should've choked him unconscious.

Check out a few screenshots of the fan reactions to the Leon Edwards takedown of Rio Ferdinand below:

Screenshots of fan reactions

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Leon Edwards - Rio Ferdinand: What's next for the UFC champion and the soccer legend?

Rio Ferdinand continues to work with TNT Sports on its various projects, providing his expert analysis in the sports dominion. Ferdinand is well-known for the strong bond he shares with sports fans, particularly in the UK. Meanwhile, reigning UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards is all set to return to the octagon and defend his title.

Leon Edwards is scheduled to put his UFC welterweight championship on the line against former interim UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington in the headlining matchup of UFC 296 on December 16, 2023. Furthermore, Edwards recently implied that he'd like to move up in weight and pursue double-champ status by capturing the UFC middleweight belt after beating Covington.