UFC London is all geared up to set the fight world on fire on March 22, 2025, at the O2 Arena. The event will be headlined by a highly anticipated matchup between former welterweight champion Leon Edwards and the ever-present threat Sean Brady. Brady, 32, has established himself as one of the division’s most well-rounded competitors, with his only career setback coming at the hands of Belal Muhammad. But when you’re facing a fighter such as Edwards, it won’t take long before ‘Rocky’ gives him another loss.

That’s why Brady’s fans will be hoping that his past injury does not come back to haunt him inside the Octagon or even before that, as he has a history of pulling out of fights. For those unfamiliar, Brady once went through a horrific ordeal that nearly ended his career. So, here’s all you need to know about Brady’s life-threatening injury, which prompted him to withdraw from several fights in the past and left him worrying whether he’d ever walk again.

Sean Brady cancels fight due to foot infection

Brady was set to face Kevin Lee in July 2021 at UFC 264, which was rescheduled for August after Lee withdrew due to an injury. However, ahead of UFC on ESPN 30, Brady was the one to withdraw due to a medical emergency. The issue began with an apparently minor cut on his foot acquired during training. However, the wound immediately developed into a major staph infection, resulting in cellulitis. Brady was hospitalized within days, unable to walk, and concerned about his future.

“There was a point I was in the hospital. I couldn’t walk. I thought I was going to lose my foot,” Brady said 8 months later ahead of UFC Fight Night 198. “Me, my fiancée, my mom—we were pretty scared.” The condition got so bad that he had to stay in the hospital for a week as physicians worked tirelessly to avert permanent damage. Every attempt to stand caused tremendous pain, making the idea of fighting again look impossible.

Brady once said that he was more anxious about his ability to walk properly than about missing a fight. “At that point, I was honestly like, ‘F— the fight. F— fighting. I’m going to lose my foot. I’m never going to be able to walk.'” However, he did make a comeback and returned with a bang by grabbing himself a victory in November later that year against Michael Chiesa. However, it wasn’t going to be the first time that he had to pull out of a fight.

Sean Brady’s other injury leads him to opt out of UFC 290

Back in 2023, Sean Brady was forced to withdraw from his scheduled fight against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 290, disappointing fans yet again. It all began with what appeared to be a tiny blister on his left elbow, which he discovered during a workout. However, by the next morning, the swelling and agony grew worse. Given his history of severe infections, most notably a staph infection in 2021, Brady and his wife, who is a nurse, decided he needed to consult a doctor. What was supposed to be a simple antibiotic therapy escalated into a more serious medical situation!

The swelling did not go down, and physicians had to drain his elbow twice before diagnosing it as septic bursitis, which is caused by the spread of Streptococcus pyogenes group A. The #5 ranked contender was eventually discharged from the hospital, but doctors said he couldn’t compete at UFC 290 against his opponent Jack Della Maddalena.

The welterweight was devastated by the news, as he had given up a honeymoon and significant finances for his training camp. He wrote in an Instagram post, “I’m crushed because I put my heart and soul into this sport and this camp, I sacrificed going on a honeymoon with my wife, spent money I’ll never get back. But things happen man and I’ll be back stronger than ever.”

So, now, his fans would surely be hoping that history does not repeat itself and this time around, Sean Brady enters the Octagon as his best self to face Leon Edwards at UFC Fight Night 255. What do you think? Who will win the fight? Let us know in the comments.