Former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards put two of the most well-known comedians in the United Kingdom through their paces.
Edwards, who recorded two successful title defenses before being unseated from the throne by Belal Muhammad at UFC 304 in Manchester this past July, trains at the Team Renegade gym in Birmingham, England.
While “Rocky” remains its most high-profile fighter, the facility also houses notable names like upcoming Bellator title challenger Fabian Edwards and UFC lightweight Jai Herbert. Top UFC featherweight contender Arnold Allen also frequently hits the mats there.
Earlier this year, however, Team Renegade had some…well, less athletic individuals within its walls…
Leon Edwards Shows Romesh Ranganathan & Rob Beckett The Ropes
UK comedians Romesh Ranganathan and Rob Beckett paid a visit to Team Renegade to try their hand at mixed martial arts for an episode of their Rob & Romesh Vs television series on Sky. The show sees the duo tested in various realms outside of their comfort zone.
That includes learning to sprint with Olympic legend Usain Bolt, cooking in a restaurant with a Michelin-starred chef, and writing music with Shania Twain. Undoubtedly the most brutal and perhaps physically demanding, though, was the Rob & Romesh Vs UFC episode.
Ranganathan and Beckett entered the cage with Edwards and his coach, Dave Lovell. The pair talked the comedians through various moves, including the rear-naked choke.
At one point, the UFC star locked Beckett into the move and drew out a humorous reaction as he applied pressure.
Edwards also guided the pair through the hard-hitting kick that saw him capture the welterweight title at the expense of Kamaru Usman back in 2022. Beckett compared the impact of Edwards’ kick on the pads to the sound of “a gun.”
They couldn’t quite repeat that when having a go themselves, with Ranganathan hilariously connecting to the pads with his toe rather than shin, leaving him in pain.
