Leon Edwards Bringing Awareness To Stabbing Epidemic In Birmingham
When Edwards isn’t competing in the Octagon, one thing the fighter is trying to do is to bring awareness to the stabbing epidemic going on in Birmingham, England.
“It’s been going on for a very long time now,” Edwards told MMA Junkie. “Youth violence in the U.K., especially Birmingham and London knife crime, it’s been massive. And to see that video the other day – I know someone that knows the person that was stabbed in broad daylight. It was heartbreaking to actually see the video, because you hear about it all the time. On that same day, that video of that guy that got stabbed, there was another three stabbings in that same day. I’m trying to bring awareness to it and trying to see what I could do to help, because I remember being in environments like that growing up as a kid with my friends, so I would love to try and help and put awareness to it.”
USA Today reports that 285 people were killed in England and Wales due to a knife related attack from March 2017 to March 2018.
Edwards says that it was his mom that led to Edwards leaving the gang life and taking up mixed martial arts.
“When I grew up as a kid, I was involved in gangs and stuff like that,” Edwards said. “My mum took me to the gym to keep me away from my friends, to try and make a better life for myself. I stuck to it. It’s changed my life. It changed my family’s life, and I’ve been trying to push it, push it, push it in the U.K., to say martial arts has changed my life, (and) it could also change your life.”
There is no word yet as to when Edwards, who is ranked #4 in the UFC Welterweight Division, will compete again.
