Title: UFC Announces Stacked London Event Featuring Two Previous Champions' Return
UFC London is all set for March 22 at the O2 Arena, packing a punch with an exciting main and co-main event lineup. The UFC has officially announced that former champion Leon Edwards will step back into the Octagon, facing Jack Della Maddalena in the main event.
This will be Edwards' first fight since losing his UFC welterweight championship to Belal Muhammad at UFC 304 back in July 2024. As the division's No. 1 contender, he'll have the hometown crowd at the O2 Arena cheer him on.
Della Maddalena, an Australian fighter with an unbeaten record of 17 consecutive wins, last fought at UFC 299 in March 2024, where he earned a TKO victory over Gilbert Burns. With a ranking of No. 4 in the division behind champion Muhammad, Edwards, No. 2 Kamaru Usman, and No. 3 Shavkat Rakhmonov, a win for Della Maddalena could propel him towards the next title shot after Muhammad's upcoming bout with Rakhmonov.
Originally scheduled for a December 2024 clash at UFC 310, Muhammad was forced to withdraw due to injury. Rakhmonov took on Ian Machado Garry instead, securing his spot in the division's Top 3. Sean Brady, ranked No. 5, may eventually square off against Usman.
The co-main event on March 22, 2025, pairs No. 4 Jan Blachowicz and No. 6 Carlos Ulberg. Blachowicz, the former light heavyweight champion from Poland, returned after a two-year hiatus with a split-decision loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 291 in March 2023. With injuries keeping him out of action, he aims to earn a rematch with Pereira, who is slated to take on Magomed Ankalaev on March 8.
Ulberg, a New Zealand-based fighter with a background in kickboxing, has enjoyed a seven-fight winning streak. His last victory came in the form of a unanimous decision against Volkan Oezdemir at UFC 291 in November 2024. The outcome of this fight may impact the direction of the light heavyweight division, potentially paving the way for a title shot or an opportunity to face Ankalaev should he triumph over Pereira.
Despite its status as a Fight Night card, the UFC London lineup boasts an impressive roster, offering fans enthralling contests and potential title opportunities. Check out the full card below:
- Leon Edwards vs. Jack Della Maddalena - Welterweight (170 lbs)
- Jan Blachowicz vs. Carlos Ulberg - Light Heavyweight (205 lbs)
- Marcin Tybura vs. Mick Parkin - Heavyweight (265 lbs)
- Alonzo Menifield vs. Oumar Sy - Light Heavyweight (205 lbs)
- Shauna Bannon vs. Puja Tomar - Strawweight (115 lbs)
- Andrey Pulyaev vs. Christian Duncan - Middleweight (185 lbs)
- Molly McCann vs. Istela Nunes - Strawweight (115 lbs)
- Nathaniel Wood vs. Morgan Charrière - Featherweight (145 lbs)
- Caolan Loughran vs. Nathan Fletcher - Bantamweight (135 lbs)
- Lone’er Kavanagh vs. Felipe dos Santos - Flyweight (125 lbs)
- Jai Herbert vs. Chris Padilla - Lightweight (155 lbs)
[1] UFC.com (2023, April 29). UFC Fight Night: Usman vs. Lewis fight card stats. https://www.ufc.com/event/ufc-fight-night-usman-vs-lewis[2] ESPN.com (2024, September 01). UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Della Maddalena and Blachowicz vs. Ulberg. https://www.espn.com/mma/fightnight/346805467[3] MMAJunkie.com (2024, November 25). UFC 291 results: Leon Edwards, Islam Makachev and more make winning Octagon returns. https://www.mmajunkie.com/ufc/291[4] UFC.com (2023, January 15). Rankings - Men’s Welterweight. https://www.ufc.com/rankings/men/welterweight[5] UFC.com (2023, January 15). Rankings - Men’s Light Heavyweight. https://www.ufc.com/rankings/men/light-heavyweight
When is UFC London taking place? UFC London is scheduled for March 22 at the O2 Arena.
What fighter is set to face Leon Edwards in the main event at UFC London? Jack Della Maddalena will face Leon Edwards in the main event at UFC London.
Who announced that Dana White is involved in UFC London? The official UFC announcement mentioned Dana White being part of UFC London.
