Bellator 287: Fabian Edwards 'held back tears' after beating Lyoto Machida

Fabian Edwards had to hold back tears when he beat Lyoto Machida in May.

The Birmingham fighter, 29, had made the perfect start to his career by winning his first nine fights. Then he lost the next two.

With his undefeated streak gone and momentum derailed, Edwards knew a third-straight defeat would see his stock as a fighter plummet.

Edwards, who faces Charlie Ward at Bellator 287 in Milan on Saturday, says he was emotional following victory over Machida in London because he wasn't just fighting for himself - he was fighting for his family.

"There was pressure because you go six, seven years in the sport, no defeat, and then you lose two fights, and everyone says you're finished," he tells BBC Sport.

"Everyone doubts you, even though you know in yourself you've got years left in the sport.

"After that fight, I had to hold back some tears. When I was in the cage on my knees, I had to hold it back because I got kids and that's how I make my earnings. I knew going into that fight I had to win regardless, for myself, my family."

His confidence had taken a hit following defeat by Austin Vanderford last May, but Edwards used the experience to his advantage.

Edwards says he learned some valuable lessons that helped him go into the contest with Machida as a better fighter.

"When you're undefeated you're so bothered about not losing, but once you're defeated, you're like 'you know what, I'm going to take these risks. I lost anyway so if I lose again, it will tear me up, but don't allow the fear of losing make you not perform'.

"In both them losses I was too reserved, like I didn't want to make a mistake. Just go out there, enjoy it and be free."

'I've learned from Leon's title experience'

Mixed martial arts run in the family. Edwards' older brother Leon stunned Kamaru Usman in August to win the UFC welterweight title, becoming only the second British champion in the fight promotion's history.

Edwards was part of his older brother's coaching team in Salt Lake City, Utah and was alongside him during fight week - an experience he says he benefited from.

Following the celebrations, Edwards flew home to start training for his fight against Ward.

"I learned just how calm and professional he [Leon] was. Nothing was forced and I learned that and took it into my training," he said.

"Sometimes I over-train, and go too crazy at it and end up getting injured or going into the fight feeling a bit flat. So I saw how he handled his fight week, which kind of made me calm down a little bit."

Edwards' Muay Thai coach Henry Cleminson trains both brothers.

"Eyes on the prize, they're both the same, they both have tunnel vision," Cleminson tells BBC Sport.

"Leon is a very slick fighter, methodical, very measured. Fabian is as well, but I feel Fabian can also be a battering ram. That's not a negative thing - Fabian could go through a brick wall if he wanted to. That's what he did with Machida.

"But I train them both in a very similar way, so they're both developing good striking at range and close up, good movement and good angles, so they're very similar in a way."

Should Edwards beat Ireland's Ward, he will be in a strong position to challenge for the title, currently held by the USA's Johnny Eblen.

Edwards, second in the Bellator middleweight rankings, faces an opponent in 41-year-old Ward who is on a three-fight win streak.

Although he says he is not overlooking Ward, Edwards admits he has envisioned a scene where he holds a world title alongside his brother.

"I was saying I wonder when I win the title if I'm going to cry? Because we're not really crying people," he said.

"But I probably will because when you love something and put your all into it, and you achieve that goal that you've been chasing for so many years, then once you achieve it, the emotion would be let out.

"So yeah, I've thought about it many times."

• Drift off to sleep with Michael Mosley: Take a relaxing sonic journey designed to help you fall asleep

• Wild rumour and conspiracy sweep 1980s Ireland: Obscene: The Dublin Scandal narrated by Adrian Dunbar