It went all the way to the final second, but Leon Edwards got the finish of Peter Sobotta at UFC London.
The UFC’s return to London went down Saturday at the O2 Arena in London, England. Opening up the main card on UFC Fight Pass (and on The Fight Network in Canada), welterweights Leon Edwards and Peter Sobotta went to war.
With both men fighting southpaw, it felt like this fight could be a bit of a chess match as the pair felt each other out. Only, after a few seconds, Edwards connected with a big right hand! Sobotta went down, but as Edwards came in, he was able to grab an arm, threatening with a submission attempt. While the arm-bar wasn’t there, the attempt gave Peter Sobotta much-needed recovery time. So much for the chess match! Edwards then moved into Sobotta’s guard. Sobotta, for his part, used overhooks to control the man on top of him, while looking to somehow break into a scramble. It wasn’t there immediately, though they would return to the feet to end out the round.
Round two saw Edwards trying to press the action early only to connect with a low blow. That led to a break in the action. Afterwards, the round played out similar to the first: Edwards had the advantage on the feet. Yet on the ground, even on top, he was constantly in danger thanks to Peter Sobotta’s skilled submission game. As time wore on and the two were coated with sweat, however, Edwards seemed to be having an easier time escaping. For obvious reasons.
Edwards scored with a counter left to open round three, then looked to shoot for a takedown but was stalled. The fight stayed standing, and Edwards looked to be the fresher fighter, yet was victim of a double leg takedown just prior to the three minute mark. Edwards wouldn’t stay down long, but Sobotta was on him like glue. Edwards, however, was able to reverse and get on top. With two minutes left, the fight was clearly in his grasp. Sobotta would give up the back, and Edwards would go to work dropping heavy punches, opening him up. Sobotta did little more than cover up, though it seemed as if he would escape the round. However, just seconds before the bell, the ref had seen enough, and waved it off. Incredibly, that was the second last-second stoppage of UFC London!
After the fight, Edwards called out Darren Till for a fight in Liverpool, a previously announced card that Till has been tabbed to headline.
Leon Edwards def. Peter Sobotta by TKO, Round 3, 4:59
