UFC London LIVE: Prelims underway as Leon Edwards fights Sean Brady in must-win main event

UFC London is officially underway.

Fernandes keeping his distance but slices Guram with a sharp leg-kick. Body kick and low kick then connect as Guram finally responds with a punch of his own.

Then BAM! A fierce one-two from Fernandes lands and Guram reacts by shooting for a takedown as he tries to stay alive. He doesn’t get Fernandes to the ground and moments later, he’s knocked down by a headkick!

Guram holds up but continues taking punishment – those liver kicks are echoing around the arena.

Then late on, another BELTER hook knocks Guram down again, but he’s quick to his feet. The Georgian survives.

Good evening and welcome to UFC London!

We’re about to get the prelims underway as Georgian veteran Guram Kutateladze takes on Brazilian star Kaue Fernandes.

Kutateladze was once a highly-touted prospect but injuries and illness derailed his momentum, similarly to Khamzat Chimaev.

We’ve got one stacked card lined up, so don’t go anywhere.

The first fight of the night is just minutes away!

With that in mind, I’ll hand over to Will Castle, who’s cageside at the O2 Arena.

The Independent spoke to former UFC champion Michael Bisping this week – Britain’s own!

He discussed how Edwards must “hurt” Brady and put the American on the “back foot” tonight, while acknowledging the risk involved in that tactic…

Edwards’s patience ran thin on Thursday, as he took issue with reporters asking him repeated questions about his rivalry with Belal Muhammad.

Muhammad, of course, took the welterweight belt from Edwards last July, and the new champion has goaded his predecessor in the time since.

Those interactions were put to Edwards on Thursday, and he finally snapped at one reporter!

Here’s what Molly McCann had to say on media day, when asked about her teammate Paddy Pimblett, who fights Michael Chandler in April:

“I think he’s learned his lessons in previous fights. Especially with Tony Ferguson, I think that was a big thing. Having [Donald] Trump in the crowd, being there on that card, he knows the drill.

“He’s grown up. He doesn’t say all the madness no more – well, he still does say a bit of madness sometimes. But, no, he knows the sport. He knows how to play you all.”

Speaking at Thursday’s media day, Brady had some choice words for Edwards.

“I think that’s a bad look on Leon to be thinking about other people, when all I’m thinking about is fighting him,” said the American.

“You know, he’s thinking about No 1 contenders and getting back at Belal and talking s*** about Belal.

“But he’s got someone who’s trying to kill him Saturday night in front of him, and he has more things to be concerned about than being a No 1 contender in the division.”

Ahead of UFC London, we conducted an exclusive interview with interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall – Britain’s standout MMA star right now.

He discussed how he plans to take MMA mainstream on home soil – with fear, humility, and maybe without Jon Jones…

Going back to the title picture for a second…

Ian Machado Garry believes he should have been chosen to challenge Muhammad in May, in place of Della Maddalena.

Here’s what the “livid” Irishman had to say:

As Edwards prepares to fight yet another wrestler in Brady, he explains how he altered his coaching team to tackle the issues that played a role in his title loss to Muhammad.

Edwards actually has a decent record against wrestlers, having retained the belt against Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington – after taking it from Usman to avenge a 2015 loss – but you can always be better.

Edwards knows that. More here: