Leon Edwards is one of the most exciting guys in the UFC welterweight division, and it is no wonder why he headlines one event. The Brit was away from the octagon for nearly 20 months, and craves to feel some action and get into the contention to challenge the reigning champion, Kamaru Usman.
Meanwhile, Belal Muhammad is equally impressive lately, and has intentions of his own, which are pretty much the same as Edwards – to attack Usman.
Edwards vs Muhammad Schedule
- Where: UFC Apex, Las Vegas, Nevada
- When: Saturday, March 13, 10pm ET
- How to Watch: ESPN
Edwards vs Muhammad Odds
| Edwards | Muhammad |
|---|---|
| -265 | +210 |
Edwards Desperate to Prove His Worth
The 29-year old Brit isn’t getting the attention he deserves and that is a fact nobody can deny. Right now, Edwards is on an eight-fight winning streak, with the last loss coming to Kamaru Usman in 2015, via unanimous decision.
The last time this guy was in the ring was in July 2019, and he defeated Rafael Dos Anjos also via UD, and ever since he didn’t have a single fight. Even though his name appeared in almost every big welterweight bout, Edwards was always left out. Sometimes it was because of UFC’s decision, but also, there were several canceled fights due to outside reasons. For instance, his fight against Tyron Woodley was canceled due to COVID-19, and he also had three cancellations with Khamzat Chimaev.
Edwards defeated guys like Gunnar Nelson, Cowboy Cerrone, Peter Sobotta, Vicente Luque. He is a fighter that knows everything, from kickboxing to wrestling and dirty fighting in the clinch. For many, he still needs to add a bit more size, but that might be problematic due to the weight limits.
Muhammad’s Biggest Test so Far
“Remember the Name,” as the fans call him, has eight wins in the past nine fights, and is currently riding a four-bout victorious streak. His most recent contest was in mid-February against Dhiego Lima at the UFC 258, and it seems that Dana White and the guys from the organization want to test Muhammad to see whether he has enough potential to become a true star in the division, not just a gatekeeper.
So far, he has 18 wins and three losses, but check this out, 13 of his triumphs came via decision. He is a guy who knows how to wrestle, preferring to take the fight to the ground, and continue working from there. He lost once via KO and twice via decision, which tells you that his cardio is at the highest possible level.
So far, Muhammad didn’t have some notable opponents in his resume. Lyman Good is the biggest name he defeated. However, two of his latest losses came against Vicente Luque and Geoff Neall.
Edwards vs. Muhammad Pick and Prediction
The last paragraph is telling us a lot about Muhammad. He isn’t ready to face a bit more prominent fighters in the division yet. Edwards is fresh, and even though he has some ring rust, Muhammad shouldn’t be a problem for him, especially because he knows how to handle one-dimensional fighters, which he already showed in the past. So this is an easy one, Edwards wins.
