UFC 304 in Manchester: Belal Muhammad shocks Leon Edwards to strip British champ on home soil

Belal Muhammad from the United States surprised Leon Edwards from Britain with a strong performance, ultimately winning the welterweight championship at UFC 304 in Manchester.

Muhammad, who is 36 years old, dominated Edwards in their fight and was declared the winner by all judges, putting an end to the 32-year-old's impressive 12-fight winning streak. This result brought a somber mood to the Co-op Live arena.

The victory happened after their 2021 match was stopped and declared a draw because of an unintentional eye poke by the British fighter.

The match happened right after 05:30 BST to accommodate the American viewers. Edwards mentioned feeling fatigued in his interview after the fight.

Edwards admitted feeling fatigued after the first round. He had been feeling tired all week. He congratulated Belal and promised to come back stronger.

Highlighting two fighters from Britain competing in championship matches, the event was the largest to ever happen in the history of UFC in England. It was also the first event to take place at the 23,500-seat arena since it opened in May.

A lot of attention was given to the unusual start time of 11:00 PM BST, with many fighters, especially Edwards, adjusting their schedules ahead of time based on the guidance of the UFC's Performance Institute.

During the middle of the fight, Paddy Pimblett's card didn't have any exciting elements, but he managed to excite the fans around 04:30 BST. The energy in the arena remained high until Edwards lost to Muhammad.

The conflict between Edwards and Muhammad in their 2021 fight created tension that increased as the fight approached, with the American expressing strong dislike towards Edwards and alleging that he refused to agree to a rematch.

Muhammad, who entered the fight against Edwards with a perfect record of 10 wins, has taken on the role of the bad guy during fight week. He has welcomed the jeers from the crowd with a mischievous smile and has been playfully teasing fans about England's loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 final.

Muhammad received a lot of loud boos from the crowd as he made his entrance, which were the loudest of the evening. He danced and joked with his team as he walked out.

Edwards, who entered the fight as the longest-reigning champion in the UFC, appeared determined as he made his way to the octagon, practicing his punches and quietly cheering himself on.

After an exciting start where the audience echoed announcer Bruce Buffer's every word during Edwards' introduction, Muhammad quickly dampened the mood by executing a takedown early in the match.

Edwards successfully defended against Usman and Covington's wrestling in past fights, but Muhammad presented new challenges by out-grappling Edwards in the first round of their recent matchup.

The American fighter remained in control, skillfully alternating between his jabs and attempts to take his opponent down, while chants of "Rocky" from the crowd did not inspire the Birmingham fighter.

In the third round, there was a change in momentum for Edwards when he successfully took down Muhammad. He then managed to gain control over Muhammad and tried to execute a rear-naked choke, but Muhammad defended it well.

However, Muhammad managed to gain the advantage once more in the fourth round, putting pressure on Edwards with quick punches near the cage. He then brought Edwards down again and maintained control over the champion on the ground until the end of the final round.

Feeling that Edwards needed an impressive ending, similar to his fight against Usman in 2022 when he won the title, the audience attempted to motivate the British fighter as they stared at each other before the last five minutes of the bout began.

However, just as he had done for most of the match, Muhammad achieved another takedown and dominated the fight on the ground. This caused many fans to stand up and exit the arena, realizing that Edwards was going to lose.

"It seems like everyone who's booing has tears streaming down their faces. My family is here with me. I always put God first. This fight is dedicated to my family, my community, and to Palestine," stated Muhammad.

I have an amazing team that works hard and constantly improves. Our strikers are top-notch and highly skilled. There is a champion among us in Chicago, even if their name may not be known to everyone.

I am Belal Muhammad. I am independent and unique. Now that the world recognizes this, they must acknowledge and honor it.

Edwards, who had not been defeated since he lost to Kamaru Usman in 2015, mentioned that he would be interested in fighting again before the year is over.

"I'm all set to travel one more time before the end of the year, either in November or December," he mentioned.