Morning Report: Leon Edwards coach says fighter was ‘30-40’ percent in title fight loss to Belal Muhammad

Leon Edwards misplaced the UFC welterweight title following a efficiency he and his workforce wish to overlook.

The circumstances surrounding Edwards’ third title protection this previous July had been actually uncommon as he was combating in his house nation of England at a UFC 304 pay-per-view that was scheduled to cater to North American followers. That meant Edwards and opponent Belal Muhammad (a local of Chicago) made their walkouts within the wee hours of the morning versus prime time within the night.

Muhammad went on to win a convincing determination, and take Edwards’ belt, a lot to the chagrin of his coach Dave Lovell. Nonetheless, Lovell’s challenge isn’t with Muhammad, however relatively with the odd begin time that he feels left Edwards at far lower than his finest.

“It’s a bitter tablet to swallow, however I take nothing from Belal,” Lovell mentioned on The Ariel Helwani Show. “He gained his strategy to this time like Leon did, so let him profit from it, truthful play to him. However it’s a bitter tablet for me to swallow for the straightforward reality, how Leon misplaced it, the lackluster effort for no matter purpose. As a result of everyone knows that was, what, 30, 35, 40 % of Leon Edwards that night time?”

Previous to that loss, Edwards had gone undefeated in 13 straight contests, with the lone blemish throughout that stretch being a no-contest with Muhammad in March 2021. Muhammad was the sufferer of an unintentional eye poke in that first assembly, so he gained a measure of revenge when he defeated Edwards three years later.

Although Lovell additionally pointed to a lingering again damage as having left Edwards extra restricted than regular, he’s not dwelling on the loss. Edwards fights Sean Brady in the principle occasion of UFC London this Saturday and Lovell is raring to maneuver on from UFC 304.

“It was actually a disappointing week for us,” Lovell mentioned. “Clearly, Leon’s first loss in how lengthy? And within the vogue, how he misplaced it. Yeah, it was upsetting throughout, however we’re within the struggle sport and shit occurs.”

“There have been some main elements main as much as the struggle, overlook the minor damage aside,” Lovell added. “In England, when have you ever ever heard of a sportsman performing 6:00 within the morning? It’s by no means been heard of earlier than and little doubt you’ll by no means hear of it once more. It was only a freaky second in time and Leon needed to cope with it. To lose to Belal within the vogue he misplaced to him, the world is aware of he’s lots higher than that. We all know. Most and foremost, he is aware of he’s higher than that.

“Yeah, it was a serious setback, however we’re on the street again to gold, what extra can I say to that?”

Two months after UFC London, Muhammad defends the welterweight title for the primary time when he meets Jack Della Maddalena in the principle occasion of UFC 315 on Might 10. Della Maddalena was initially scheduled to struggle Edwards on Saturday, however was re-booked to problem Muhammad with No. 1 contender Shavkat Rakhmonov unavailable on account of damage.

Was Lovell anticipating Edwards to presumably get the decision as an alternative?

“It’s like, he’s simply held the title, he’s misplaced it, and perhaps it’s going to be a bit uncommon for him to get the decision to struggle again for the title straightaway,” Lovell mentioned. “It’s very uncommon you hear that occur.

“However why not? As a result of I do know he can beat Belal, he is aware of he can beat Belal, I feel Belal is aware of he can beat him. Belal caught Leon on a really, very low night time, and he got here out the winner and that’s the way in which it’s. There’s nothing you possibly can say or do about that.”

For now, Edwards’ workforce is targeted absolutely on Brady, a fighter that brings a method they’re used to even when they’re considerably bored with it.

“We set a sport plan for Jack, however 4 weeks in, it modified to a different wrestler,” Lovell mentioned. “Not that Leon is, ‘Ah effectively, it’s all that,’ Brady we all know is a wrestler. We all know what wrestlers do. He’s been in towards the perfect, so it’s nearly saddling down and getting on with the job.”

“We all know the struggle plan, we’ve set the struggle plan and if it goes to how we’re engaged on it, it, the sport plan we’ve set. Then I’m in search of a stoppage both early or late.”

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Clearly.

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Belal Muhammad.

Marvin Vettori.

Get this man a struggle.

Friendship.

Congrats to the Prepare household!

That is regarding.

It’s a protracted street again to the title for Leon Edwards, most certainly, and he takes his first steps with a troublesome matchup towards Sean Brady this Saturday. Win or lose, there are not any ensures for “Rocky,” however let’s see if his coach is true about his fighter simply having an off-night final summer season.

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