Leon Edwards hadn’t tasted defeat in almost a decade when he had one of many worst nights of his life falling to Belal Muhammad this previous July within the battle that value him the UFC welterweight title.
Within the aftermath of that disappointing outcome, Edwards hasn’t spoken a lot concerning the loss exterior of the struggles he confronted attempting to carry out whereas competing at a weird begin time with the primary occasion kicking off round 5 a.m. Trying again now, Edwards has come to phrases with what went mistaken that night time, however he’ll by no means utterly get previous shedding, particularly such a monumental battle.
“I type of let this loss sit with me for just a little bit, simply to get it in [my head] that I truly misplaced to start with,” Edwards informed MMA Preventing. “Then from there, I used to be in a position to regroup. Regardless that it was a loss, it nonetheless a detailed battle, proper? Like he received three rounds, I received two rounds on the scorecards on my worst night time. So it’s simpler to place it behind me figuring out that it wasn’t absolutely me in there on my greatest night time. It was simpler to place it behind me that approach.
“Clearly a loss hurts, and it’s upsetting, however now I’m at a stage the place it’s what it’s. I consider I’m the most effective welterweight within the division. I’ve simply bought to go on the market Saturday night time and show it and simply put all my wrongs proper and it begins Saturday night time.”
Edwards returns to motion this weekend in opposition to Sean Brady with the prospect to redeem himself in one other five-round predominant occasion with hopes {that a} win places him proper again into title competition.
Whereas he’s moved on from that loss to Muhammad this previous July, Edwards admits that the way in which all of it went down is at all times going to bug him simply because he is aware of he didn’t carry out wherever close to his greatest that night time.
“I watched it earlier than when it first completed, I rewatched it,” Edwards stated concerning the battle. “I haven’t watched it since. I at all times knew I felt prefer it wasn’t me, and watching it again, it wasn’t me. It was tough to observe the way in which the battle went and figuring out that 9 out of 10 occasions I beat Belal however that one time he bought the win. It’s what it’s.
“[Now] I’m specializing in changing into a two-time world champion. That’s the place my head is at.”
Lots has been stated concerning the rivalry that spawned out of two fights between Edwards and Muhammad that dates again to their first encounter in 2021. That night time, Edwards opened the battle in dominant vogue however he delivered a watch poke that broken Muhammad’s imaginative and prescient sufficient that he couldn’t proceed.
The battle was declared a no contest and whereas Edwards moved onto finally grow to be UFC champion, Muhammad by no means forgot concerning the unfinished enterprise between them.
Simply over three years later, Muhammad lastly made good on his promise to beat Edwards when he traveled to England and earned a unanimous resolution to say the welterweight title. Since that night time, Muhammad hardly ever misses an opportunity to remind Edwards about their rematch and he’s even gone so far as saying that he doesn’t believe that the former champion will ever earn his way back for another title shot.
However unlike some of the truly vile things that Colby Covington stated main as much as his battle in opposition to Edwards in 2023, Muhammad by no means turned issues private. That’s why Edwards is conserving issues skilled the place Muhammad is worried even when their personalities undoubtedly conflict.
“He’s simply an annoying human being,” Edwards stated with amusing. “Simply the way in which he appears to be like and the way in which he talks, he’s simply annoying. That’s all it actually was. There wasn’t nothing private. He’s only a bizarre man.”
Edwards admits it did sting just a little bit extra to drop his title to Muhammad, however in actuality, he simply laments his poor displaying that night time and the loss was going to harm irrespective of who it got here in opposition to.
“As a result of it was Belal [it was worse] however like I stated, a loss is a loss,” Edwards stated. “It might have been whoever to be sincere. It doesn’t actually matter who it was. I really feel like I’m a lot better than my final battle was and that’s all it was. It was extra on my behalf than anyone else.
“Like I stated, I hate to lose and it’s confirmed by my report and confirmed my how a lot I’ve received within the UFC. It’s what it’s proper now. I’m simply targeted on the subsequent chapter proper now.”
If all goes effectively at UFC London, Edwards undoubtedly places himself in place to probably compete for the title once more whereas Muhammad is making ready for a showdown in opposition to Jack Della Maddalena in the primary occasion at UFC 315 in Could.
Edwards truly spent weeks making ready for Della Maddalena, who was his unique opponent for the cardboard on Saturday till the Australian welterweight was pulled to face Muhammad following an harm suffered by No. 1 ranked contender Shavkat Rakhmonov.
Fact be informed, Edwards truly favors Della Maddalena barely in that title battle, however there’s no denying that finally getting the prospect to reclaim the title from Muhammad would imply extra to him.
“It might undoubtedly imply extra to me to take it again from Belal,” Edwards stated. “I really feel prefer it’s a detailed battle him and Jack. Jack’s bought good scrambles. He’s simply taken down, however he’s good scrambling again to his toes. I really feel like his boxing is best than Belal’s. If I needed to favor someone, I’d most likely favor Jack in that battle. However let’s see.
“I’m not rooting for none of them to be sincere with you. I’d love for it to be Belal so I can get the belt again from Belal, but when it’s not, it’s not. I don’t give a shit who wins or loses. That’s the place I’m at.”
