PFL Tournament Winner Fabian Edwards Steps Out of His Older Brother’s Shadow

Fabian Edwards won the Professional Fighters League middleweight final with a left head kick against Dalton Rosta in the PFL 2025 World Tournament 10 headliner on Aug. 21—three years to the day that his older brother struck Ultimate Fighting Championship gold with the same maneuver. Only in MMA are such moments made possible.

While Leon Edwards made his way through the UFC ranks, his younger brother did the same during his time in Bellator MMA and the PFL. Nothing came easy for either of them. It took Fabian multiple cracks at the top, and while he stopped short of crediting his sibling with the better head kick finish, he did give Leon props for teaching him how to overcome adversity and continue striving.

“I just had the same mindset as him when he won his world title,” Fabian said. “Having setbacks with the pandemic and everything else, he just kept going and working towards his goal. Eventually, he got there. They were stopping him from getting there for ages. That’s why we had to go on a long winning streak, but he did it. It just showed if you keep working and believing, it will happen, and it’s now happened for me.”

Fabian started his amateur career in 2015 and captured his PFL title 10 years later. He has no plans to slow down anytime soon.

“I’m going to fight until the wheels fall off,” Fabian said. “Honestly, I started when I was 22, and I rarely took damage early on. I do want to fight until I’m 40. I know a lot of people are wondering ‘what the f---?’ but I feel like there’s a level to reach that I haven’t reached yet. I don’t know what that level is yet, but I’m searching for it and that’s what keeps me so hungry.”

The tournament championship puts the Team Renegade rep in position to challenge Costello van Steenis for the undisputed PFL middleweight crown in the months ahead. Fabian also wants to bring the company back to the United Kingdom and hopes to establish himself as one of the top fighters in the world at 185 pounds. His work has only just begun.

“There is so much more to achieve,” Fabian said. “It’s crazy because I’m 32. I started this sport 10 years ago, and I feel like there’s still so much more to do here. I still have so many years ahead of me, so many more things to achieve and many more big performances to put on for everyone. I’m looking forward to it.”