Can Leon Edwards add another title defense to his championship reign at UFC 304?

• chirag amin
• 18 July, 2024

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By: chirag amin

UFC 304 will see Leon Edwards defend his UFC Welterweight Championship title belt once again as he takes on Belal Muhammad for the second time in his career.

The duo met at UFC Fight Night on March 13, 2021, in Las Vegas in a bout that would end as a No Contest following an accidental eye poke by the British fighter. It was a result in which he was upset about at the time, perhaps because it was the first time he had been in the Octagon for 20 months.

However, “Rocky” has been dominant inside the cage as he has continued to pile on the wins. He would go on to claim the UFC Welterweight Championship in his second bout against Kamaru Usman at UFC 278 with a knockout and has since defended it multiple times.

Those who have enjoyed betting on the UFC in the past have enjoyed each of Edwards’ fights, as the Brit has continued to make the experience competitive and engaging with his contests. The rematch (third in the trilogy) against Usman at UFC 286 and a win against Colby Covington at UFC 296 have both followed, with each of them being title defenses and going the full distance.

Will Muhammed II be another successful title defense for Edwards?

Three years in the making, Edwards’ rematch with Muhammed is going to be one that has even more riding on it for both fighters than the initial meet in Las Vegas.

Scheduled to take place in Manchester, England, this time around, the pair will headline UFC 304 on July 27, with a total of 14 fights on the card. The most interest will naturally be in this fight, with most appearing to back the home athlete.

Both have an identical record of 22-3-0, promising fans with a potentially exciting fight. If there are any areas of weakness, it could be the fact that the American is older than his counterpart. Muhammed will enter the Octagon four years older than his opponent, as he’ll be 36. Edwards will be just a few days short of his 33rd birthday by the time the event takes place.

“Rocky” has a greater reach and height advantage over Muhammed, which could make all the difference depending on the fight strategies that are adopted by each competitor. This is something that people who are considering wagering on the event should consider and look at the UFC bettings site, as there is plenty of information that can be used to help make informed decisions.

As a result, there are many that are predicting that the fight will go down to the wire but will see Edwards end up victorious once again.

Could the time upset Edwards?

Although UFC 304 will be taking place in Manchester, the organizers have decided to stick with American timings for the card, perhaps to accommodate as many viewers as possible. This will mean that the fight between Edwards and Muhammed will end up taking place in the early hours of the British morning.

If he isn’t ready for this, this is something that could scupper his chances of a successful title reign. It shouldn’t be the case for an athlete of his level, as he will have prepared for it, but with our bodies having their own clocks, it could be something to look out for throughout the contest.