For the previous three-plus years, Belal Muhammad has been calling for a rematch in opposition to Leon Edwards. He lastly will get his want when he challenges Edwards for the welterweight title within the UFC 304 predominant occasion on July 27.
Initially, Muhammad solely needed to settle some unfinished enterprise from when he stepped up as a short-notice opponent for Edwards at a UFC Battle Night time predominant occasion again in 2021. On that evening, Muhammad suffered a brutal eye poke that didn’t enable him to proceed and the combat was declared a no-contest.
He instantly requested to run it again, however Edwards successfully ignored the callouts, leaning on his dominant begin to the combat and seeing no purpose to simply accept a rematch. Since that evening, neither fighter has tasted defeat and Muhammad believes Edwards made an error by ready so lengthy for the rematch — now along with his welterweight gold on the road.
“This was actually the largest mistake of his life,” Muhammad instructed MMA Preventing. “Even dragging this combat out so long as attainable as a result of I’m getting higher each single day. I’m not a man that stays out of the fitness center. We’re rising. Now you’ve received a man that’s been watching you for a full yr. Even once I educated the backup position, I’ll present you textual content messages the place I despatched my boys [messages] like, ‘Can we do movie research?’ I’d be like, I’m solely breaking down movie on Leon. I don’t actually care about Colby. Colby’s a straightforward combat.
“So the entire time we broke down movie on Leon and we took that as a full camp. Now having back-to-back-to-back camps all on you. I’m rising my very own expertise to your weaknesses. So the worst factor you could possibly have did was give me time. The worst factor you could possibly have did was [give me] further time. You need to have took me again then.”
As he studied Edwards in hopes that he would finally earn that rematch, Muhammad received to know the 32-year-old UFC veteran slightly effectively. He began recognizing tendencies and habits in his combat model, particularly when he was making ready for grappling-heavy opponents like Kamaru Usman or Colby Covington.
Whereas Edwards ended up beating Usman twice and only in the near past earned a call win over Covington, Muhammad noticed sufficient in these performances to really feel like he’s really constructed to dismantle the reigning UFC welterweight champion.
“I believe while you take a look at stylistically the the reason why they thought Colby could be a nasty matchup for him — it was cardio, it was stress, it was taking him down, holding quantity in his face, and I do all of these higher than Colby,” Muhammad stated. “I do all of these higher than Usman.
“Usman in that third combat, he wasn’t the identical Usman. Folks can say no matter they need. I believe he got here again too quickly off that head kick [knockout], however within the second combat, it was quantity, stress, and it was breaking Leon, and Leon’s simply damaged.”
That combat again in March 2023 noticed Edwards down on the scorecards heading into the ultimate spherical when he uncorked a vicious head kick that ended Usman’s title reign. Once they fought for a 3rd time simply 9 months later, Edwards eked out a majority resolution win to retain the belt and successfully shut the e-book on their rivalry.
Muhammad believes it was the combat the place Edwards gained the belt that really modified him shifting ahead as a result of he struggled to take care of Usman’s tempo, stress, and wrestling earlier than touchdown the knockout late within the fifth spherical. In his two subsequent performances, Edwards was victorious, however Muhammad acknowledged straight away how that rematch with Usman modified his model for the more severe.
“He’s received weak mentality,” Muhammad stated. “He’s not sturdy sufficient to go in there and determine it out on his personal. As soon as he begins getting on his again foot, he begins breaking. As soon as he begins getting taken down, he begins breaking. As soon as he begins getting hit, he hates it.
“His final two fights that he’s had, it’s been extra, ‘Let me keep on the surface, let me hold the tempo at what I prefer it at,’ and Colby let him hold it on the tempo he appreciated it at. Usman in that third combat let him hold the tempo at what he appreciated it at, let him hold the gap at what he appreciated it at, and once I’m in there, it’s not going to be that in any respect. I’m going to be in your face for the entire 25 minutes.”
Since that no-contest with Edwards three years in the past, Muhammad scored lopsided wins over a number of top-10 opponents, together with Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, Vicente Luque, and Gilbert Burns, whereas additionally delivering an emphatic knockout of extremely touted grappler Sean Brady.
In some ways, Muhammad believes these fights have been more durable checks than what he’ll face in opposition to Edwards, which is why he believes his UFC title reign begins with one other shutout efficiency.
“I actually suppose it’s going to be one of many best matches I’ve ever had,” Muhammad stated. “I believe that I’m going to go in there and I’m going to stroll by means of him. I’m going make it look simple. Everyone all the time has an excuse they usually’re questioning why or there needs to be this purpose why I gained this combat or why I gained that combat, this or that. As soon as I’ve that belt, none of that ever issues.
“I stated from the start, I’m the very best welterweight on this division, and I stated from the start that I’m going to make it look simple once I beat Leon and dominate Leon. I haven’t had an in depth combat within the final 5 years.”
Even entering into enemy territory by going through Edwards on his dwelling soil in England solely will get Muhammad that rather more excited. He really relishes the prospect to face Edwards in entrance of a hostile crowd, as a result of he expects to depart his opponent’s followers unhappy and crying into their English breakfast.
“Watch what I do to Leon,” Muhammad stated. “Watch what I do in entrance of his individuals, in entrance of his hometown, in entrance of all of these followers on the market which are going to be booing. I’m going to go enemy territory and I’m going to freaking smash him.
“I’m going to take a look at his coach, I’m going to take a look at his brother and I’m going to smile. I’m going to attend for them to say something, I’m going to attend for his or her excuses and it’s going to be the most effective journeys of my life.”
