Fabian Edwards recently navigated a period of uncertainty after being informed he was being removed from the upcoming PFL middleweight tournament, only to eventually have his spot restored with a fight booked against Impa Kasanganay this Friday.
The situation arose due to a visa complication for the British fighter attempting to travel to the United States for the events. However, Edwards credits his manager with successfully resolving the issue. While acknowledging the situation was a distraction, he maintained his focus on preparing for his scheduled bout.
Edwards recounted receiving the notification on a Sunday about his removal due to a visa issue, specifically the processing time. He expressed gratitude towards his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, for leveraging his contacts to sort it out, stating, “I appreciate that a lot. It’s nice to have someone like that in your corner.”
Although the problem was resolved relatively quickly within a few days, Edwards admitted it lingered in the back of his mind during training camp. Nevertheless, he remained determined to stay locked in and ensure he was training effectively, regardless of the fight`s status.
With limited spots in the eight-person tournament, Edwards is thankful to have reclaimed his position, recognizing the opportunity to potentially compete up to three times in the coming months.
He expressed his happiness about being back, especially after believing the opportunity had been taken away. Edwards noted, “I`ve always said I want a lot of fights, and I get my opportunity to do that.”
While Edwards is optimistic about his fight schedule, the same cannot be said for some other fighters on the PFL roster who have voiced concerns about prolonged inactivity.
His former opponent and current Bellator middleweight champion, Johnny Eblen, is among several athletes speaking out about long layoffs with no clear indication from the PFL about their next fights.
Eblen posted in February about still waiting for fight news from PFL, having last competed against Edwards in October.
Despite their rivalry, Edwards admitted he sympathizes with Eblen and other champions, such as Corey Anderson and Patchy Mix, who have also complained about significant periods without fights.
Edwards described the situation frankly, calling it “terrible.” He emphasized, “There`s no other way to say about it. It`s terrible. They need to sort it out because that could very much be me.” He highlighted that fighting is their livelihood and requires significant time and effort investment.
Seeing fighters sidelined for a year or more is “craziness” to him, and he hopes the promotion can resolve the underlying issues.
While PFL is planning several “champion series” events in 2025, with the first potentially in early summer, the number of available slots is limited, leading to uncertainty about when certain athletes will be booked.
Edwards understands the frustration faced by Eblen and others due to this lack of clarity regarding their fighting futures.
He pointed out that fighters are “putting our health on the line,” and although it is a choice, they often receive the “worst end of the stick.”
Despite their two previous encounters, Edwards holds no ill will towards Eblen. If anything, he hopes the Bellator champion gets active again, leaving the door open for a potential third fight one day.
While uncertain if a trilogy fight will happen, Edwards aims to do his part by winning the PFL middleweight tournament and hopes Eblen is open to the idea as well.
Edwards concluded by hoping the PFL books fights for Eblen and all the other inactive fighters soon, reiterating that this is how they earn a living and the profession they sacrifice everything for. He added that if he emerges victorious from the tournament, he will definitely be looking to pursue that third fight against Eblen.
