Following his dominant submission victory over former champion Leon Edwards at UFC London, Sean Brady has made a compelling case for being the next in line for a welterweight title shot. His performance was not only decisive but also historically significant, as he became the first fighter to ever finish Edwards in his career, putting a definitive exclamation point on a one-sided affair.
This impressive win propelled Brady directly to the No. 1 position in the official UFC rankings, placing him just behind champion Belal Muhammad. Previously, undefeated contender Shavkat Rakhmonov had been considered the top contender after his win over Ian Machado Garry, but he now sits one spot behind Brady, partly due to an injury that forced him to withdraw from UFC 315, where Jack Della Maddalena received the title shot opportunity instead.
Despite any prior assertions about Rakhmonov, Brady firmly believes that his recent performance and current ranking establish him as the rightful next challenger, regardless of past promises.
“I am the No. 1 contender,” Brady stated confidently to MMA Fighting. “There`s a 1 next to my name so I am the No. 1 contender. Shavkat`s No. 2, even though they said he`s getting the title shot next but if you look at who he`s beaten as of late and who I`ve beaten, it should be me.”
Brady highlighted his active three-fight win streak, which includes victories over Edwards, former title challenger Gilbert Burns, and Kelvin Gastelum. He contrasted this impressive run with Rakhmonov`s recent trio of opponents: Garry, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, and Geoff Neal.
While Brady believes his recent resume is stronger on paper, he expressed willingness to face Rakhmonov if the UFC decides that matchup is necessary to definitively determine the top contender in the division.
“I`m not going to wait around for something that`s not guaranteed,” Brady explained. “So if the UFC wants to do me and Shavkat, I`m fine with that. I know I`m the best fighter in the world, on this planet, so if I have to go beat Shavkat and then fight for the belt, I`m cool with that.”
Brady intends to be cageside at UFC 315 on May 10, where Belal Muhammad defends his title against Jack Della Maddalena. While his ideal scenario is to fight the winner immediately, he emphasized that he is not afraid of the challenge Rakhmonov presents if that`s the direction the promotion takes.
Although Rakhmonov has been widely regarded as one of the most intimidating figures in the UFC during his undefeated climb, Brady stated he has always identified potential weaknesses. He felt Rakhmonov`s performance against Garry in December only served to confirm these perceived flaws.
“Listen, the same thing with Khamzat [Chimaev], the same thing with Jack Della [Maddalena] before he has a tough fight,” Brady commented. “These guys all look like the boogeyman but if you go back far enough in their records, you can see them lose a fight. Everyone has holes. Everyone is human. So eventually you get exposed just like Khamzat did with Gilbert [Burns], like Shavkat did with Ian. You go back far enough, you can find stuff… [Shavkat beat] Wonderboy—amazing fighter but he’s not the Wonderboy that was stuffing all of Tyron Woodley’s takedowns back in the day.” He concluded by reiterating his confidence, saying, “I was very impressed with Shavkat up to that point but it’s still a guy that I think I’m very favorable to fight against.”
Above all, Brady stressed his desire to remain active and avoid stagnation while awaiting a potential title shot. If an immediate championship opportunity doesn`t materialize, he plans to pursue the next best available challenge.
However, he clarified that any final decisions regarding his next opponent will be postponed until after the outcome of the UFC 315 welterweight title fight is known.
“That fight`s going to happen, I`m going to be there,” Brady confirmed. “We`re going to see how that plays out. I`m watching that fight and then we`re making a decision after that. Nothing`s getting made before that.” He added that he believes it`s logical for the UFC to involve him in the planning process: “It would be dumb of me and I`m sure the UFC is thinking the same thing, too. They want me there. They want me watching the fight and we`ll see how things play out and then I`m sure we`ll figure it out after that.”
