MMA
Leon Edwards v Belal Muhammad preview
UFC 304 is upon us, and we have a brilliant card to get stuck into on Sunday morning. Several of the UFC’s most exciting fighters will take to the Octagon, fighting across several weight divisions to become world champion.
One of the marquee bouts of the card is Leon Edwards facing off against Belal Muhammad at 5.30am BST on Sunday morning. Englishman Edwards sports a 23-3-0 record in the UFC, leaping to prominence after knocking out Kamaru Usman in 2022, clinching him the UFC Welterweight championship. ‘Rocky’ delivered a devastating head kick to Usman in the fifth round of the bout to overturn the odds and land his first world championship belt.
The win shot Edwards into stardom, and he’s now recognised as one of the most dangerous fighters in the division. He’s unbeaten since and still holds the UFC Welterweight belt.
Bet on Leon Edwards vs Belal Muhammad at William Hill
The bout
As a result of his outstanding record, Leon Edwards is favoured in this weekend’s bout against Belal Muhammad. He’s priced at odds of 2/5 to win the fight, with his opponent the 19/10 underdog. The two have faced off before in the Octagon, however the fight was called a no contest in Round Two after Edwards accidentally poked Muhammad in the eye, leaving his opponent unable to continue.
Therefore, we don’t have any previous history between the two to go off in predicting the outcome of this bout, and whilst Edwards is favoured, you cannot write Belal Muhammad off. The American sports a 23-3-0 record – with nine wins in his last nine contests – and is a very tricky customer for anyone inside the Octagon. ‘Remember The Name’ is an unorthodox fighter, best known for his striking capabilities highlighting the difficulty to face him, as he has the power to knock any opponent out in an instant.
Bearing this in mind, with Edwards’ devastating striking thrown into the mix, 13/10 on the fight not to go the distance seems good value. Both fighters are dangerous if given the opportunity to strike and you can bet that both will be desperate to prove themselves over the other, after their abandoned bout in March 2021.
The verdict
Whilst Belal Muhammad poses a serious question to the market principle, Leon Edwards has gone from strength to strength since clinching the UFC Welterweight belt for the first time, dispatching Usman again as well as Colby Covington.
The Birmingham man has shown he can win fights in numerous ways, as shown by his knockout of Usman followed by two wins by decision against two of the world’s best. The knockout power he possesses is frightening and we could see a statement performance once again from Rocky here.
The 12/5 on an Edwards KO/TKO is a good price if that’s to be the case, with Leon Edwards 4/1 to win inside Rounds 1 or 2, if you’re feeling brave.
