UFC 304 Is Official For Manchester With 2 Possible Championship Fights

On the 18th of January, Dana White, the CEO of UFC, was photographed in Toronto, Ontario. The photo was taken by Mike Roach who works at Zuffa LLC.

On Wednesday April 24, the UFC declared that they will be coming back to Manchester, England, in the near future. This was announced through a post on their social media platform.

UFC 304: Edwards Vs. Muhammad 2 Likely Matchup

On December 30, 2023, Leon Edwards, the champion of UFC Welterweight, made a visit to Villa Park during the half time of the Aston Villa vs Burnley FC Premier League match in Birmingham, England. A photo of this visit was captured by Neville Williams from Aston Villa FC via Getty Images.

The card is not completely decided yet, but it is likely that the occasion will showcase two fights that are contenders for the championship title.

Dave Lovell, who is in charge of coaching UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, has announced that his fighter will be participating in the upcoming event. Lovell is almost certain that Edwards will face Belal Muhammad as his opponent for the match.

It's logical for Edwards and Muhammad to have a rematch for several reasons.

There is a rumor that someone is challenging Edwards for a rematch that he has been pursuing for more than a year. It seems that the rumored challenger will have his second opportunity to fight Rocky. In March of 2021, the two men last met and unfortunately, the fight ended as a no-contest because Muhammad was accidentally poked in the eye by Edwards.

After that time, Edwards won against Nate Diaz, removed Kamaru Usman from his position with an impressive head-kick knockout that will go down in UFC history, won against him again in their rematch, and protected his title by defeating Colby Covington in December 2016.

After the competition ended with no winner, Muhammad went on to achieve more wins. He emerged victorious three months later by unanimous decision against Demian Maia, which further showcases his productiveness and success.

In December of the year 2021, Muhammad managed to emerge victorious in a matchup against Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson. He also went on to claim victory against Vicente Luque in April of 2022, managing to avenge his only defeat through a stoppage. Later in October 2022, Sean Brady fell to Muhammad's impressive skills, and in May of 2023, Gilbert Burns also became a victim to his prowess.

Although Muhammad hasn't competed in almost a year, he continues to hold the second spot in the UFC's 170-pound official rankings.

Looking at it from a geographical perspective, it's logical for Edwards to be the main attraction in a Manchester bout, both for him and the UFC. Although he hails from Kingston, Jamaica, he trains in Birmingham, England, which makes the fight against Muhammad a rewarding homecoming for someone who hasn't been defeated in a fight in almost nine years.

Tom Aspinall Expected To Compete, Awaiting Opponent

In a recent UFC heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 295 event, Tom Aspinall from England had a victorious moment when he defeated Russia's Sergei Pavlovich through a TKO. This exciting match took place at the Madison Square Garden in New York City on November 11, 2023. The audience witnessed the intense fight and Aspinall's reaction to his victory. It was undoubtedly a memorable moment for both the fighter and his supporters.

It appears highly likely that Tom Aspinall, who hails from Salford, England and is the current UFC interim heavyweight champion, will be included on the card, possibly as the co-main event. The primary unknown factor is the identity of his opponent.

According to reports, Aspinall has said he is ready to fight against Ciryl Gane. However, the French fighter has not yet given his agreement to the proposed match. It seems that the UFC bosses would rather have this specific fight take place.

If Gane refuses to sign, Aspinall has the option for a simpler solution, which is to have a rematch with Curtis Blaydes. When he faced Blaydes previously, Aspinall incurred his only defeat in his UFC career due to a serious knee injury that transpired only 15 seconds into the fight.

Blaydes came out victorious as Aspinall was unable to conitnue, making it an uncomplicated triumph for Blaydes. Aspinall can view it as a fair fight and it is fitting for the interim champ, who is anticipating a chance to discard the label of being transitional from his championship status.

The upcoming card has the potential to be a huge occasion. Word on the street is that famous fighters such as Michael Venom Page, Paddy Pimblett, Ian Machado Garry, and Arnold Allen could also feature on the lineup. Keep an ear out for further updates as they come through.