{"id":130611,"date":"2023-09-20T14:35:26","date_gmt":"2023-09-20T14:35:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bluemull.com\/?p=130611"},"modified":"2023-09-20T14:35:26","modified_gmt":"2023-09-20T14:35:26","slug":"my-brother-and-i-grew-up-under-a-tin-roof-in-jamaica-now-we-can-become-the-first-siblings-to-be-bellator-ufc-champs-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bluemull.com\/lifestyle\/my-brother-and-i-grew-up-under-a-tin-roof-in-jamaica-now-we-can-become-the-first-siblings-to-be-bellator-ufc-champs-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"My brother and I grew up under a tin roof in Jamaica, now we can become the first siblings to be Bellator & UFC champs | The Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"

FABIAN EDWARDS and his brother Leon grew up in poverty in Jamaica – but they're on the verge of making mixed martial arts history after defying the odds.<\/p>\n

The Edwards brothers' journey began in Kingston in a one-room wooden shack, which was only protected by a tin and zinc roof.<\/p>\n


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They were surrounded by drug use, violence and even murder from an early age, so much so that their mother uprooted them to Birmingham to provide them with a better life.<\/p>\n

Erdington's Jarvis Road Estate proved to be somewhat of a haven in comparison to Kingston, but it wasn't long before both boys found themselves running around with the wrong crowd.<\/p>\n

Aware that they were going down a dangerous path, their mum urged them to try their hand at MMA in a desperate bid to keep them off the streets.<\/p>\n

But even she couldn't have imagined her boys potentially making history<\/span> by becoming the first brothers to simultaneously hold titles in the UFC and Bellator – the sport's biggest promotions.<\/p>\n

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Edwards dreams of stepping closer to making history by joining Leon as world champ<\/h3>\n

<\/p>\n

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That scenario could very well become reality on Friday night when Fabian challenges the undefeated Johnny<\/span> Eblen for the middleweight title at Bellator 299 in Dublin.<\/p>\n

The opportunity to create his own piece of MMA history after brother Leon's sensational scooping of the UFC<\/span> welterweight title last August isn't fazing Fabian, who told SunSport: "I'm relishing it, I really am."<\/p>\n

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"I'm looking forward to going out there and getting my moment. Getting my moment where I go in there and [shine].<\/p>\n

"I do feel like I'm gonna put on a great performance and probably get a stoppage.<\/p>\n

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"It would be good to see him actually shed some tears, because, obviously, he's seen the work that I've put in [over the years]."<\/p>\n

Like elder brother Leon, Fabian is thankful for his mum's efforts as a single immigrant parent and for pushing the sport on them.<\/p>\n

"It's kind of mad [where we are now]," he reflected. "Sometimes I do forget the position that me and my brother are in.<\/p>\n

"To be in such a tough sport and to be at the top of the sport in our divisions – I kind of forget that sometimes.<\/p>\n

"I can't wait to go out there present the belt to my mum and show my kids and my team and everyone. It's going to be a special moment."<\/p>\n

Fabian had world title aspirations from the moment he entered the MMA as a fresh-faced teenager, but even he admits it's "surreal" to be so close to completing a lifetime's work.<\/p>\n


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"I knew I'd get to this position, but I'm like, 'Oh, I'm here now. I'm one fight away from making it happen.'<\/p>\n

"It does feel a little bit surreal. But I feel like this is the moment for me."<\/p>\n

Fabian's immense faith in himself was tested during his two-fight skid to Costello van Steenis and Austin Vanderford, defeats which made many question his title credentials.<\/p>\n

"When you go through a loss, you've got two questions," he said. "It's either: Are you going to hang it up? Or what's next<\/span>?"<\/p>\n

"And I was like, I definitely wasn't going to hang it up because as a young fighter, I lost two close fights. That was the question I asked myself.<\/p>\n

"Once I knew I wasn't going to hang it up, I was like, 'Okay, let's not dwell on it too long and keep pushing.'"<\/p>\n

Fabian's resilience in the face of his existential crisis paid off as he regrouped and picked up career-best wins over former Strikeforce and UFC light-heavyweight champs Gegard Mousasi and Lyoto Machida either side of a victory over Charlie Ward.<\/p>\n

Before he can think about joining his brother as a world champion, Fabian must do what 13 men have failed to do and get the better of American Top Team's Eblen.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Eblen's style, however, has done little to impress Fabian, who said: "He's gone out there and he's beat Mouasi and he's beat [Anatoly] Tokov.<\/p>\n

"He's done okay, he's utilised his wrestling and that's what's got him to where he's at.<\/p>\n

"He's just a wrestler that boxes a bit. I think in his head, he thinks he's a lot more entertaining and fan-pleasing than he actually is."<\/p>\n

Fabian's slight disregard for Eblen's skillset shouldn't be mistaken as arrogance, he just believes he firmly has the beating of the American.<\/p>\n

He said: "For the last nine weeks, when I'm driven back and forth to the gym – day in and day out – I've seen two predictions.<\/p>\n

"One, I see myself catching him in the second or third round. Or I see a five-round war where I go out there, dominate and shut down his game.<\/p>\n

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"That's the only prediction. We're preparing for war, but I don't see it going that way. I see a clean five-rounder or a stoppage."<\/p>\n

Fans can tune into Bellator 299: Eblen vs Edwards live from the 3Arena, Dublin, on BBC iPlayer from 9pm on Saturday, 23\u00a0September.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n


\nSource: Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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