Belal Muhammad is gearing up for a major showdown this weekend as he takes on welterweight champion Leon Edwards at UFC 304. The anticipation for their rematch has reached fever pitch, and tensions are high.
After an impressive ten-fight unbeaten streak and a recent victory over Gilbert Burns, Muhammad is finally getting his chance to vie for the UFC welterweight title. However, he will be facing Edwards in his own territory, adding an extra layer of challenge.
Muhammad’s disdain for Edwards goes beyond the fact that Edwards is standing in the way of his title aspirations. Their first encounter in March 2021 ended abruptly when an accidental eye poke from Edwards halted the fight in the second round. Since then, Muhammad, who was making his main event debut, has made it his mission to settle the score with Edwards. This Saturday, he will get his long-awaited opportunity.
Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad Face off in Fighter Hotel Elevator
Interestingly, Muhammad had an encounter with Edwards before the official press conference. He recounted an incident in the fighter hotel elevator, saying, “I just saw him right now in the elevator. He looked like he was afraid. Him and his brother and coach, they all looked like cowards. His coach was trying to talk a little bit of trash, so I’m hoping his coach shows up at the press conference because I know Leon isn’t gonna talk.”
Muhammad claimed that Edwards appeared fearful during their brief elevator ride together. He described the scene, noting, “We were in the same elevator. They were with a group of six or seven guys, so they thought they’d be tougher or whatever. But me and my boy Max always hold anything down. I was already in there, and he wouldn’t be confident enough to stay in the elevator if my group was in there.”
He further elaborated on his impression of Edwards and his team: “They thought they were gonna be cooler or try to be tougher, but I smelled fear. Leon didn’t say a word. His coach was talking, but he has a weird accent and sounded like he might be slow, so I didn’t really understand what he was saying.”
Muhammad Claims He Smelled Fear from the Champion
As Muhammad prepares for the biggest fight of his career, he has been training with the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov and his team. Muhammad values the insights he has gained from working with the former UFC lightweight champion. Although Nurmagomedov will not be in his corner for this fight, the training has been invaluable.
Muhammad shared his thoughts on training with Khabib: “It just puts me on another level. Training with him and getting advice from him is worth 20, 30, 40, 50 days with anyone else. Just being able to feel his strength, pressure, and knowledge is incredible.”
He continued, “To have him give me advice on what I should be doing for this fight and breaking down Leon, telling me what he thinks the game plan should be, the knowledge is endless.”
With all eyes on UFC 304, Muhammad is ready to make his mark and chase his dream of becoming the welterweight champion. Will he do it? Time will tell!
