.png)
After an agonizing wait, Belal Muhammad will finally get his opportunity to rematch Leon Edwards for the UFC welterweight title. The highly anticipated bout is set to take place at UFC 304 on July 27 in Manchester, England.
Muhammad (23-3) has been persistently pushing for a rematch with Edwards (21-3), and his efforts have paid off. UFC CEO Dana White announced the exciting matchup Thursday on social media.
Edwards, currently classed as a champion of the division in the latest UFC welterweight rankings, will attempt to make his third consecutive title defense. He initially claimed the welterweight gold in August 2022 with a stunning knockout of Kamaru Usman, followed by a successful title defense in an immediate rematch.
“Rocky” Edwards continued his dominance by defeating Colby Covington with a lopsided unanimous decision at UFC 296 in December. Despite rumors of headlining UFC 300 against fighters like Islam Makhachev, Shavkat Rakhmonov, and Khamzat Chimaev, it is the No. 2-ranked Muhammad who finally gets his shot at the title. Muhammad has earned this opportunity with an impressive 10-fight unbeaten streak, which includes victories over top contenders such as Gilbert Burns, Sean Brady, Vicente Luque, and Stephen Thompson.
Reflecting on their first encounter at UFC Fight Night 187 in March 2021, the fight was halted in the second round when Edwards accidentally poked Muhammad in the eye, resulting in a no-contest. Edwards has often claimed that he was on his way to a comfortable victory that night, while Muhammad insists he was just getting warmed up, having accepted the fight on short notice.
UFC 304 promises to be a night of high-stakes action and intense rivalries. Edwards will look to solidify his reign as the welterweight champion, while Muhammad aims to achieve his long-awaited dream of capturing UFC gold.
Comments