This past Saturday night in the main event of UFC 304, the welterweight title was on the line. The champion Leon Edwards (22-4, 1 NC) was looking to defend his title in front of his home country against a familiar foe in Belal Muhammad (24-3, 1 NC).
These two originally fought in 2021 and the fight ended in a No Contest after Edwards poked Muhammad in the eye. Edwards was in control of that fight and even rocked Muhammad in the first round with a huge kick. This fight was very different and it was evident from the opening bell.
From the moment the fight started, Muhammad gave Edwards no room to breathe. He was all over him and suffocating him with boxing combinations and cage pressure. Edwards had no real space to get off his sniper-like strikes. Muhammad pretty easily won the first two rounds in my eyes at UFC 304.
In the third round, Edwards was able to secure a slick reversal and it allowed him to get the back of Muhammad for the entire round. The fourth went right back to Muhammad dominating the fight. Muhammad had another good fifth round, but Edwards reversed the position in the final minute.
After that reversal, Edwards landed some incredibly nasty elbows which cut Muhammad open. Because of the damage, I gave the final round to Edwards but it wasn’t enough in my eyes. All three judges agreed and Belal Muhammad became the UFC welterweight champion.
What’s next after UFC 304?
The fashion in which he was dominated for much of the fight did seem to dampen the title reign of Leon Edwards. He won the title by a miraculous head kick in the final minute against Kamaru Usman. When they ran it back, Edwards did a very solid job and won a decision but many felt like Usman fought too soon.
Edwards then defeated Colby Covington by decision who many didn’t believe deserved that title shot and then the first time he faced an active top contender, he was dominated. Nevertheless, Edwards still became UFC champion and he holds two wins over one of the greatest to ever do it in Kamaru Usman. While it might’ve dampened to some, Rocky deserves his flowers.
That said, he’s not going to get an immediate rematch. UFC President Dana White already said Edwards wouldn’t be getting an immediate rematch. So, who should he face? Well, Conor McGregor – Michael Chandler is likely going to headline the PPV in December in Las Vegas.
Ian Garry has always wanted to fight on a Conor McGregor card and it seems like a perfect co-main event. There’s some beef and history between Edwards and Garry after Garry was kicked out of Edwards’ gym. With Garry’s perfect record and Edwards needing a good win to get back into the title picture, it seems like the perfect fight to make for the end of the year.