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"Was Leon Edwards' dad a criminal?" is a question that has intrigued many MMA fans ever since BT Sports' inspiring documentary short was released ahead of his fight against Tyron Woodley, which was later cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Edwards is among the world's most popular English mixed martial artists and held the UFC welterweight title until recently. Edwards' journey to becoming a world-class MMA fighter has been truly inspiring, especially considering that his father was murdered when 'Rocky' was still a teenager. But was Edwards' dad involved in crime? Let's find out.
Was Leon Edwards' dad a criminal?
Leon Edwards was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in August 1991 and lived in a one-room house with his parents and brother. Growing up, he was exposed to crime and violence regularly. Edwards admitted during an ESPN interview that his father was involved in "questionable activities" during this time, and he saw "crime, drugs, killing, shooting, poverty" daily.
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When he was nine, Edwards' family moved to Birmingham, England, to join the father. While Edwards Sr. lived in London, the family resided in the crime-riddled locality of Aston. Even after leaving Jamaica, the family had to deal with warring gangs and street violence. 'Rocky' got sucked into the gang culture during his mid-teens, a phase he described as the "darkest years" of his life.
A major catalyst that pushed Edwards into a life of crime was his father's tragic death. The patriarch of the Edwards family was brutally shot and killed outside a London nightclub over money squabbles when 'Rocky' was merely a 14-year-old kid. The UFC star has made no secret that his father was involved in criminal activities and revealed that he was a "gang leader" in Jamaica.
When he was 17, Edwards joined an MMA gym at his mother's insistence. He began training in martial arts regularly and fought his first amateur fight eight months later. As they say, the rest is history.
It's worth noting that Edwards Sr.'s story came into the public spotlight after Colby Covington's infamous rant before their bout at UFC 296 last December. The ever-outspoken Covington took his trash-talking to another level and distastefully vowed to send Edwards to the "seventh level of hell" where he could meet his dad.
