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The Joe Rogan ExperienceThe Joe Rogan Experience

JRE MMA Show #106 with Leon Edwards

Joe is joined by mixed martial artist Leon Edwards, who is currently competing in the UFC's Welterweight division.

Joe RoganhostLeon Edwardsguest
Jun 26, 20242h 5mWatch on YouTube ↗

At a glance

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Leon Edwards Discusses Adversity, Mindset Shifts, And Title Aspirations

  1. Leon Edwards joins Joe Rogan to unpack his turbulent recent years: canceled fights, COVID, the Belal Muhammad no-contest, and the stalled Khamzat Chimaev matchup, all while sitting on a long unbeaten streak at welterweight.
  2. He explains how the layoff forced a shift from ‘fighting to win’ to ‘fighting to hurt,’ refining his skill set, mindset, and training structure without a traditional head coach.
  3. The conversation ranges widely across MMA culture: hype and promotion, sparring philosophies, weight cutting, rule debates, and technical striking—especially kicks and elbows.
  4. Edwards also opens up about his upbringing around gang violence in Jamaica and Birmingham, his father’s murder, and his motivation to become UFC champion as a role model for at‑risk youth in the UK.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Use downtime and setbacks as structured growth periods.

Edwards turned a year-and-a-half of canceled fights into focused improvement—rebuilding skills, mindset, and conditioning instead of fixating on matchmaking politics he couldn’t control.

Define a clear competitive mindset, not just a game plan.

He consciously shifted from ‘fighting to win on points’ to ‘fighting to hurt and finish,’ which changed how he trains, how he takes risks, and how he views his path to a title.

Build a decentralized coaching structure that fits your style.

Rather than a single head coach, Edwards uses specialized coaches (striking, wrestling, S&C), synthesizes their input, and vetoes tactics that don’t feel natural—showing one size doesn’t fit all in elite preparation.

Train hard but intelligently: listen to your body and manage sparring.

He sparrs hard only in camp, mixes in lighter technical rounds, and takes days off when his body feels depleted—aiming to preserve longevity and avoid the constant-damage model that ruined some careers.

Winning isn’t enough—visibility and narrative matter in combat sports.

Despite a long unbeaten streak, Edwards’ low-profile persona and bad luck kept him under the radar; he discusses balancing authenticity with the promotional reality that hype and personality sell fights.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

“I’m not fighting to win no more. I’ve won enough… I’m fighting to hurt them.”

— Leon Edwards

“If you work hard and you win, they can’t deny you.”

— Leon Edwards

“You’ve been, like, the best-kept secret in the division.”

— Joe Rogan

“I used that time off to grow… I can’t control Masvidal or Colby not fighting me, but I can control turning up to training.”

— Leon Edwards

“Coming from the UK, everyone tells you, ‘You can’t wrestle,’ and I’m proving it fight by fight.”

— Leon Edwards

Leon Edwards’ recent layoff, Belal Muhammad eye injury, and title-shot debateTraining philosophy: no head coach, sparring approach, and skill developmentMindset evolution from “just winning” to seeking finishes and damageHype, promotion, and matchmaking politics in the UFC welterweight divisionTechnical striking discussion: calf kicks, front kicks, spinning back kicks, elbowsCareer longevity, CTE concerns, sparring intensity, and rule-set issues (knees, elbows, gloves)Edwards’ background: family, gang environment, knife crime, and community charity work

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