Fabian Edwards recently experienced a significant period of uncertainty regarding his participation in the upcoming PFL middleweight tournament. After initially being informed of his removal, he successfully regained his spot and is now set to face Impa Kasanganay this Friday.
The initial issue arose from a visa problem, specifically the delay in receiving the necessary travel documents for the British fighter to enter the United States, where the event is taking place. Edwards credits his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, with resolving the situation, acknowledging the effort required.
Recounting the ordeal, Edwards stated, “I got the call on a Sunday saying that I’m out. It was some visa issue… just the time that it took for my visa to come back wasn’t going to be back in time.” He expressed gratitude, “My manager, Ali [Abdelaziz], went and did his thing and sorted it out… I appreciate that a lot. It’s nice to have someone like that in your corner.” While the situation was rectified relatively quickly, within a couple of days, Edwards admitted it remained a slight distraction during his training camp, though he focused on staying ready regardless.
Given the limited entry spots in the eight-person tournament, Edwards is relieved and thankful to be back. The tournament format offers the potential for him to compete up to three times over the next few months.
“I’m happy,” Edwards commented. “To be able to have the opportunity to go in there and do that, especially when last week or whatever it was, I thought it was taken away from me. I was happy to be back in. I’ve always said I want a shitload of fights and I get my opportunity to do that.”
While Edwards is looking forward to a busy schedule, the same cannot be said for many others on the PFL roster.
Johnny Eblen, Edwards` former opponent and the current Bellator middleweight champion, is among several fighters who have voiced concerns about lengthy periods of inactivity, lacking clear communication from the PFL regarding their next fights. Eblen, whose last bout was against Edwards in October 2024, publicly posted in February, “Still waiting on PFL for some fight news… Haven’t heard a peep from Donn [Davis] or the PFL team. What’s going on, guys?”
Despite their history as rivals, Edwards expressed genuine sympathy for Eblen and other prominent champions like Corey Anderson and Patchy Mix, who have also complained about prolonged layoffs.
“It’s shit. You know what I mean?” Edwards said frankly. “There’s no other way to say about it. It’s shit. They need to sort it out because that could very much be me.” He emphasized that fighting is how athletes earn their living and where they invest all their effort. “To see all those guys on the sidelines for a year or over a year, it’s craziness. I just hope they can sort out what they need to sort out.”
Although the PFL has announced plans for “champion” series events in 2025, the limited number of slots means uncertainty remains for many athletes regarding when, or if, they will compete.
Edwards fully understands the frustration experienced by fighters like Eblen due to this lack of clarity and consistent opportunity.
“We’re going out there and putting our health on the line,” Edwards stated. “I know obviously it’s our choice, but we’re still going out there and putting it on all the line. The fact that fighters get the worst end of the stick, it’s shitty. But this is what we choose.”
Despite their past fights, Edwards holds no ill will towards Eblen and actually hopes the Bellator champion gets scheduled soon, which could potentially open the door for a third meeting someday.
While the future is uncertain, Edwards is focused on doing his part by winning the PFL middleweight tournament and hopes Eblen finds himself in a position where a third fight is also appealing.
“I hope they fight him soon,” Edwards said about Eblen. “I hope they fight all the guys soon. This is how we make our living. This is what we sacrifice everything for. Hopefully, they sort everything out.” He concluded, “But yeah, I get through the tournament, and I will be eyeing up that third fight. I will be looking for that third fight.”
Murray Blackwood