Edwards vs. Prates Headlines UFC 322 Undercard

Former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards faces a critical juncture in his career as he prepares to battle rising contender Carlos Prates at UFC 322 on November 15 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The bout, part of a stacked card headlined by the welterweight title clash between champion Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev, offers Edwards a chance to halt a two-fight losing skid and reinsert himself into the division's championship conversation.

Edwards, a 34-year-old from Birmingham, England, enters the fight after dropping his title to Belal Muhammad last summer in a unanimous decision that ended his 12-fight winning streak. His subsequent return in March against Sean Brady resulted in a fourth-round guillotine choke submission, marking the first time in his UFC career he had been finished. Those setbacks came against wrestlers, a style that tested Edwards' grappling defense. Now matched against Prates, a 30-year-old Brazilian striker known for his knockout power, Edwards views the matchup as an opportunity to showcase his stand-up skills.

"I'm excited to go out there and put my skills up against his," Edwards said in a recent interview with UFC Europe....