Fabian Edwards endured a rollercoaster of feelings over the previous few weeks after he obtained notification that he was being faraway from the upcoming PFL middleweight event earlier than ultimately getting his spot again with a battle booked towards Impa Kasanganay on Friday.
The entire ordeal got here right down to a visa challenge for the British fighter touring into the USA, the place the fights are being held, however he credit his supervisor with getting the scenario dealt with. Edwards admits that the scenario served as a distraction, however didn’t forestall him from staying prepared for his upcoming battle.
“I bought the decision on a Sunday saying that I’m out,” Edwards instructed MMA Preventing. “It was some visa challenge. I had a visa challenge. Not a lot a problem, simply the time that it took for my visa to return again wasn’t going to be again in time. However my supervisor, Ali [Abdelaziz], went and did his factor and sorted it out. The truth that he needed to pull on his contracts to try this, I respect that so much. It’s good to have somebody like that in your nook to type it out. I’m grateful.
“To be trustworthy, it bought sorted out form of fast [over] the span of a few days, however all through the camp, it was at the back of my thoughts just a little bit, however I simply tried to not give attention to it. I knew that I needed to keep locked in. No matter whether or not I used to be going to battle or not, I had to verify I used to be coaching correctly and I accomplished that.”
With solely so many spots to fill in an eight-person event, Edwards is grateful that he was capable of reclaim his place, particularly understanding he may compete as much as 3 times over the subsequent few months.
“I’m blissful,” Edwards stated. “To have the ability to have the chance to go in there and try this, particularly when final week or no matter it was, I assumed it was taken away from me. I used to be blissful to be again in. I’ve at all times stated I need a shitload of fights and I get my alternative to try this.”
Whereas Edwards is glad along with his plans for 2025, the identical can’t be stated for a number of the different fighters on the identical PFL roster.
Edwards’ former opponent and present Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen is certainly one of a handful of fighters talking out about lengthy intervals of inactivity, with no indication from the PFL when he may compete once more.
“Nonetheless ready on PFL for some battle information,” Eblen wrote in February, along with his most up-to-date battle coming towards Edwards again in October 2024. “Haven’t heard a peep from Donn [Davis] or the PFL workforce. What’s occurring, guys?”
Nonetheless ready on pfl for some battle information… haven’t heard a peep from Donn or the PFL workforce. What’s occurring guys?
— Johnny Eblen (@JohnnyEblen) February 19, 2025
As a lot as he’s thought of Eblen an expert rival, Edwards admits he feels for his former opponent and different champions like Corey Anderson and Patchy Combine, who’ve additionally complained about lengthy stretches of inactivity.
“It’s shit. You already know what I imply?” Edwards stated. “There’s no different solution to say about it. It’s shit. They should type it out as a result of that might very a lot be me. In my thoughts, I’m not pondering as a result of I’m preventing, f*ck everybody else. No, that is how we make our incomes, that is what we put all our effort and time into.
“To see all these guys on the sidelines for a yr or over a yr, it’s craziness. I simply hope they will type out what they should type out.”
Whereas the PFL is planning on selling a number of “champion” sequence occasions in 2025, with the primary card anticipated to happen in early summer time, there are solely so many slots out there, so it’s unimaginable to know when or if sure athletes will compete.
Edwards understands the frustration Eblen and different fighters are dealing with, particularly with a lot uncertainty in relation to the longer term.
“We’re going on the market and placing our well being on the road,” Edwards stated. “I do know clearly it’s our selection, however we’re nonetheless going on the market and placing it on all the road. The truth that fighters get the worst finish of the stick, it’s shitty. However that is what we select.”
Regardless of two previous fights towards one another, Edwards says he doesn’t harbor any unwell will in direction of Eblen, and if something, he desires the Bellator middleweight champion to get busy so they might doubtlessly meet once more sooner or later.
There’s no solution to know if that may occur or not, however Edwards desires to do his half by successful the PFL middleweight event, and hopefully, Eblen is open to the identical thought.
“I hope they battle him quickly,” Edwards stated about Eblen. “I hope they battle all the blokes quickly. That is how we make our residing. That is what we sacrifice all the pieces for. Hopefully, they type all the pieces out.
“However yeah, I get by means of the event, and I can be eyeing up that third battle. I can be searching for that third battle.”
