Power Rankings: Fabian Edwards blasts to the top with Lyoto Machida KO
"The Assassin" slayed "The Dragon" to surge into the top group of British fighters in The Brit Pack's Power Rankings list.
In a month that saw mixed fortunes for British fighters inside the cage, Fabian Edwards stood out as he produced the best performance of his career to claim a huge scalp at Bellator London.
Edwards lived up to his moniker of “The Assassin” as he knocked out former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida in the first round of their middleweight co-main event clash at Wembley Arena. It was a performance that saw Edwards show the immense promise many in the UK knew he had, as he delivered a display that fully showcased his potential inside the Bellator cage.
Any concerns about his ability to make the step up were blown out of the water with his performance against Machida as he quickly solved the puzzle so many fighters have struggled to cope with over the years. Edwards found his range, connected with a big elbow coming out of the clinch, then followed up with heavy strikes to starch “The Dragon” and announce himself as a legitimate threat to the division’s top names.
Edwards’ performance made him the top new entry in The Brit Pack’s Power Rankings as he entered the list right at the sharp end, alongside fellow first-round stoppage winners Arnold Allen, Tom Aspinall, Paul Craig, Muhammad Mokaev, Paddy Pimblett, and Linton Vassell.
There was also a huge win for Paul “Semtex” Daley, whose stunning second-round knockout of Wendell Giacomo brought the curtain down on the Nottingham native’s 64-fight MMA career in the perfect manner. He may not compete again inside the cage, but we’ll do well to see a finish as well-received as his come-from-behind victory at Bellator London earlier this month.
There were also wins for Andrew Fisher (at Bellator London) and Davey Grant (at UFC on ESPN 36) as a host of Brits took to the cage in a busy month of fights for athletes based on this side of the pond.
Check out the updated Power Rankings below, with the new additions listed in bold type.
Scoring System
The Brit Pack's Power Rankings are determined by an adaptation of the PFL's league scoring system, with fighters competing in MMA-rules bouts for UFC, Bellator, ONE Championship and PFL eligible for the list.
Fight appearance: 1 point
Win (of any kind): 3 points
Additional bonus points for a finish:
Round 1 finish: 3 points
Round 2 finish: 2 points
Round 3-5 finish: 1 point
Draw: 1 point
Championship bonus (for winning a title fight with any of the aforementioned promotions): 5 points
Power Rankings: Updated May 26, 2022
7 points
Arnold Allen (UFC, ENG)
Tom Aspinall (UFC, ENG)
Fabian Edwards (Bellator, ENG)
Paul Craig (UFC, SCO)
Muhammad Mokaev (UFC, ENG)
Paddy Pimblett (UFC, ENG)
Linton Vassell (Bellator, ENG)
6 points
Paul Daley (Bellator, ENG)
5 points
Davey Grant (UFC, ENG)
Brett Johns (Bellator, WAL)
Molly McCann (UFC, ENG)
Simeon Powell (PFL, ENG)
4 points
Jordan Barton (Bellator, ENG)
Marc Diakiese (UFC, ENG)
Andrew Fisher (Bellator, ENG)
Brendan Loughnane (PFL, ENG)
Casey O'Neill (UFC, SCO)
Jack Shore (UFC, WAL)
2 points
Alfie Davis (Bellator, ENG)
Charlie Leary (Bellator, ENG)
Tim Wilde (Bellator, ENG)
1 point
Stuart Austin (PFL, ENG)
Lee Chadwick (Bellator, ENG)
Paul Elliot (ONE, ENG)
Cameron Else (UFC, ENG)
Lanchana Green (Bellator, ENG)
Mike Grundy (UFC, ENG)
Jake Hadley (UFC, ENG)
Jamie Hay (Bellator, ENG)
Jai Herbert (UFC, ENG)
Gavin Hughes (Bellator, ENG)
Kate Jackson (Bellator, ENG)
Aiden Lee (Bellator, ENG)
Lewis Long (Bellator, WAL)
Leah McCourt (Bellator, NIR)
Cory McKenna (UFC, WAL)
Junior Morgan (Bellator, ENG)
Michael Page (Bellator, ENG)
Scott Pedersen (Bellator, WAL)
Stevie Ray (PFL, SCO)
Danny Roberts (UFC, ENG)
Mike Shipman (Bellator, ENG)
Luke Trainer (Bellator, ENG)
Robert Whiteford (Bellator, SCO)
Joanne Wood (UFC, SCO)