UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards has been announced for the 2023 edition of the Soccer Aid charity match.
The famous event was founded in 2006 by Robbie Williams and has raised millions in aid of UNICEF UK. Since 2018, the match has been held annually and is now a hotly anticipated event for people across the country.
This year’s game takes place from Old Trafford, home of Manchester United, on Sunday 11 June.
Edwards becomes the first mixed martial artist to participate in the game since its inception and will play as a goalkeeper for the World XI alongside professional footballer turned YouTuber Ben Foster.
There is a whole host of other celebrities and football legends taking part in the match. Among them are Francesco Totti, Gabriel Batistuta, and Edwards’ fellow Jamaican, Usain Bolt.
Click here for tickets to the event.
The Growth of Leon Edwards
When ‘Rocky’ knocked out Kamaru Usman in Salt Lake City, Utah at UFC 278, his star power grew tenfold. Since then, he has turned into a national star in the UK. This was amped up in March when he defeated Usman again to defend his title at UFC 286 in London.
From giving talks at Oxford University to selling out the O2 Arena in minutes, winning the welterweight championship has opened up incredible opportunities for the Birmingham-based fighter and participating in Soccer Aid can be added to that list.
It is a stark difference to the difficult life that he endured growing up in Jamaica where he was surrounded by crime and lived in a one-room house with his parents and brother.
The 31-year-old looks set to fight Colby Covington in his second title defence where he could become a world star and grow his brand even more.
Are you excited to see Leon Edwards compete at Soccer Aid 2023?
Featured image credits to Soccer Aid
