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Leon Edwards hadn’t tasted defeat in practically a decade when he had one of many worst nights of his life falling to Belal Muhammad this previous July within the struggle that price him the UFC welterweight title.
Within the aftermath of that disappointing outcome, Edwards hasn’t spoken a lot in regards to the loss outdoors of the struggles he confronted making an attempt to carry out whereas competing at a weird begin time with the primary occasion kicking off round 5 a.m. Wanting again now, Edwards has come to phrases with what went mistaken that night time, however he’ll by no means fully get previous shedding, particularly such a monumental struggle.
“I form of let this loss sit with me for a bit bit, simply to get it in [my head] that I really misplaced initially,” Edwards advised MMA Preventing. “Then from there, I used to be in a position to regroup. Despite the fact that it was a loss, it nonetheless a detailed struggle, proper? Like he gained three rounds, I gained two rounds on the scorecards on my worst night time. So it’s simpler to place it behind me understanding that it wasn’t absolutely me in there on my greatest night time. It was simpler to place it behind me that means.
“Clearly a loss hurts, and it’s upsetting, however now I’m at a stage the place it’s what it’s. I imagine I’m the perfect welterweight within the division. I’ve simply obtained to go on the market Saturday night time and show it and simply put all my wrongs proper and it begins Saturday night time.”
Edwards returns to motion this weekend towards Sean Brady with the possibility to redeem himself in one other five-round fundamental occasion with hopes {that a} win places him proper again into title competition.
Whereas he’s moved on from that loss to Muhammad this previous July, Edwards admits that the best way all of it went down is at all times going to bug him simply because he is aware of he didn’t carry out wherever close to his greatest that night time.
“I watched it earlier than when it first completed, I rewatched it,” Edwards stated in regards to the struggle. “I haven’t watched it since. I at all times knew I felt prefer it wasn’t me, and watching it again, it wasn’t me. It was tough to observe the best way the struggle went and understanding that 9 out of 10 occasions I beat Belal however that one time he obtained the win. It’s what it’s.
“[Now] I’m specializing in changing into a two-time world champion. That’s the place my head is at.”
Lots has been stated in regards to the rivalry that spawned out of two fights between Edwards and Muhammad that dates again to their first encounter in 2021. That night time, Edwards opened the struggle in dominant vogue however he delivered a watch poke that broken Muhammad’s imaginative and prescient sufficient that he couldn’t proceed.
The struggle was declared a no contest and whereas Edwards moved onto finally grow to be UFC champion, Muhammad by no means forgot in regards to the unfinished enterprise between them.
Simply over three years later, Muhammad lastly made good on his promise to beat Edwards when he traveled to England and earned a unanimous resolution to say the welterweight title. Since that night time, Muhammad not often misses an opportunity to remind Edwards about their rematch and he’s even gone so far as saying that he doesn’t believe that the former champion will ever earn his way back for another title shot.
However unlike some of the truly vile things that Colby Covington stated main as much as his struggle towards Edwards in 2023, Muhammad by no means turned issues private. That’s why Edwards is holding issues skilled the place Muhammad is anxious even when their personalities positively conflict.
“He’s simply an annoying human being,” Edwards stated with fun. “Simply the best way he appears and the best way he talks, he’s simply annoying. That’s all it actually was. There wasn’t nothing private. He’s only a bizarre man.”
Edwards admits it did sting a bit bit extra to drop his title to Muhammad, however in actuality, he simply laments his poor displaying that night time and the loss was going to harm regardless of who it got here towards.
“As a result of it was Belal [it was worse] however like I stated, a loss is a loss,” Edwards stated. “It might have been whoever to be sincere. It doesn’t actually matter who it was. I really feel like I’m significantly better than my final struggle was and that’s all it was. It was extra on my behalf than anyone else.
“Like I stated, I hate to lose and it’s confirmed by my document and confirmed my how a lot I’ve gained within the UFC. It’s what it’s proper now. I’m simply centered on the following chapter proper now.”
If all goes nicely at UFC London, Edwards undoubtedly places himself in place to probably compete for the title once more whereas Muhammad is making ready for a showdown towards Jack Della Maddalena in the primary occasion at UFC 315 in Could.
Edwards really spent weeks making ready for Della Maddalena, who was his authentic opponent for the cardboard on Saturday till the Australian welterweight was pulled to face Muhammad following an harm suffered by No. 1 ranked contender Shavkat Rakhmonov.
Fact be advised, Edwards really favors Della Maddalena barely in that title struggle, however there’s no denying that finally getting the possibility to reclaim the title from Muhammad would imply extra to him.
“It could positively imply extra to me to take it again from Belal,” Edwards stated. “I really feel prefer it’s a detailed struggle him and Jack. Jack’s obtained good scrambles. He’s simply taken down, however he’s good scrambling again to his toes. I really feel like his boxing is healthier than Belal’s. If I needed to favor someone, I’d most likely favor Jack in that struggle. However let’s see.
“I’m not rooting for none of them to be sincere with you. I’d love for it to be Belal so I can get the belt again from Belal, but when it’s not, it’s not. I don’t give a shit who wins or loses. That’s the place I’m at.”
