Leon Edwards explains why there is “extra motivation” to “whoop” Belal Muhammad at UFC 304

UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards says he wants to whoop Belal Muhammad while defending his belt at UFC 304.

Edwards is set to defend his belt for the third time as he takes on Muhammad in the main event of UFC 304 in Manchester, England. It’s an intriguing matchup as it serves as a rematch of their 2021 fight which ended in a No Contest due to an accidental eye poke.

Since the first fight, Belal Muhammad has been calling out Leon Edwards and he will finally get the fight. But entering the rematch, Edwards says all the complaining Muhammad has done has just motivated him to shut him up and whoop him.

“I’ve never lost a fight amateur or pro in the UK, to be headlining Manchester, opponent Belal Muhammad, this guy’s been saying my name for a long time, it gives me extra motivation to go out there and whoop him. I believe I’m better wherever the fight goes, just my mentality and the way I understand the game, and my IQ within mixed martial arts I feel like I’m miles ahead of him. It will be shown on Fight Night. Come Fight Night in Manchester, he has a lot to answer for and I’m going to go out there and finish him,” Edwards said on the UFC 304 Countdown show.

It’s clear Leon Edwards is not a fan of Belal Muhammad, and he plans to show that he would’ve won the first fight before the eye poke. He also wants to silence Muhammad and prove he is not on his level. Edwards enters his UFC 304 title fight as a sizeable -258 favorite so the oddsmakers do agree that the Brit will get his hand raised.

Edwards is coming off a decision win over Colby Covington back in December to defend his belt for the second time.