Leon Edwards dismisses notion he’ll have to rebuild his body for UFC middleweight run

UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards thinks he won’t have to take a long hiatus to rebuild himself for a potential middleweight run.

Edwards will face the streaking Belal Muhammad in the UFC 304 main event on July 27 in Manchester. He returns to the Octagon for a rematch of their 2021 matchup that resulted in a no-contest due to an accidental eye poke.

Edwards is riding a lot of momentum ahead of his next title defense. He put on a dominant performance against Colby Covington in December and will face another formidable challenge in Muhammad.

A win at UFC 304 could potentially signal a new chapter for Edwards’s promotional run. He’s teased a move to middleweight in pursuit of double-champion status, and he might not have to take an extended leave to bulk up.

Leon Edwards eyes middleweight after UFC 304

During a recent interview with MMA journalist Kevin Iole, Edwards was pressed on how he’d adjust to the 185lb division.

“I’m a tall welterweight anyway,” Edwards said. “I walk around high [in weight as well]. Definitely a possibility. Have to do it correctly, but it’s a possibility for sure.”

UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis will face Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in August. Edwards could potentially be next in line for the winner, depending on how his Muhammad fight plays out.

First thing’s first for Edwards as he faces an intriguing challenger in Muhammad. He hasn’t lost since 2019 and has earned recent victories over the likes of Vicente Luque, Gilbert Burns, and Stephen Thompson.

UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones needed three years to make the full-time transition from light heavyweight. Edwards, by the sounds of it, will only need a few months to make the transition safely.

Edwards has plenty of options after UFC 304, but none of them will be on the table if he falls short against Muhammad.