Fabian Edwards mirrors his older brother Leon with a stunning headkick knockout to beat Dalton Rosta and win the PFL middleweight tournament in Hollywood, Florida.
Fabian Edwards won the Professional Fighters League middleweight tournament and $500,000 (£369,000) prize with a stunning head kick knockout of Dalton Rosta in Hollywood, Florida.
After a back-and-forth two rounds, Birmingham's Edwards unleashed a left high kick, sending the American crashing to the ground as the referee waved off the contest.
The move mirrored his older brother Leon, who stopped Kamaru Usman in 2022 with the same kick in stunning fashion to win the UFC welterweight title.
Leon was cage-side for 32-year-old Edwards' win and gleefully joined his brother in the post-fight celebrations.
"That is crazy. God's got a funny way of working," said Edwards, after being informed his brother's knockout happened almost three years ago to the day.
"I said to my brother, 'I'm going to try that shot'. I do that shot well in the gym, and it worked beautifully."
Edwards' is the second Briton to win a PFL tournament inside a week following Alfie Davis' lightweight tournament victory last week.
He is also the fourth Briton in total to triumph following Brendan Loughnane's featherweight win in 2022 and Dakota Ditcheva's women's flyweight success last year.
'I've worked so hard'
Edwards said pre-fight he was viewing the tournament final as a world championship bout after losing contests for the Bellator middleweight belt, now rebranded as the PFL title, to Johnny Eblen in 2023 and 2024.
Following his loss to American Eblen in October, Edwards built momentum again this year with wins over Impa Kasanganay and Josh Silveira to reach the final.
Edwards started well with leg kicks, before Rosta, 29, ended the first round on top after landing a couple of takedowns.
Rosta hurt Edwards at the start of the second round with a flurry of punches but the Briton recovered and the round played out with the pair grappling for position against the side of the cage.
Leon was heading for defeat on points when he stopped Usman in the final round three years ago, and although Edwards' victory was not as last-gasp and dramatic, it was every bit as rousing.
After delivering the final blow, Edwards was mobbed by his team-mates before he dropped to the ground in tears, saying: "I've worked so hard."
An emotional Edwards was announced as the tournament winner before facing off with PFL middleweight champion Costello van Steenis, who beat Eblen last month.
The PFL then announced Edwards and Spain's Van Steenis would compete for the belt in a fight which is to be announced at a date later this year.
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