Amazing Sport Stories: Bill Walton’s The Grateful Team - Leon Edwards: Saved by sport

When Leon Edwards was nine years old, he moved with his mum and younger brother from a one-bedroom shack in Kingston, Jamaica, to start a new life in Birmingham, England. Four years later, his mum got a phone call at 2am. Leon could her crying. His dad, a gang leader, had been murdered.

Over the next few years - the "darkest" of his life - Leon was himself drawn into a world of gang violence. This is the story of how, against the odds, he found a way out by forging a path in mixed martial arts - and went on to win the sport's biggest prize.

Audio scenes have been re-created. Let us know what you think #AmazingSportStories

Published on Monday, 25th March 2024.

Available Podcasts from Amazing Sport Stories: Bill Walton’s The Grateful Team

Subscribe to Amazing Sport Stories: Bill Walton’s The Grateful Team

We are not the BBC, we only list available podcasts. To find out more about the programme including episodes available on BBC iPlayer, go to the Amazing Sport Stories: Bill Walton’s The Grateful Team webpage.