Muhammad’s Frustration and Determination Set Stage for Explosive UFC 304 Showdown
It’s been an agonizing wait for Belal Muhammad, who will have been inactive for 14 months since his unanimous decision victory over Gilbert Burns at UFC 288 in May 2023. The extended hiatus has only fueled Muhammad’s determination, and he’s ready to take on Leon Edwards for the UFC welterweight title.
“It was definitely frustrating, the whole waiting, because I love to fight,” Muhammad shared with MMA Junkie. “I love to be active. I’m always training. I’m always in the gym, so it was hard. But that’s the guy Leon is. He’s not an active champion. He’s very hard to deal with. Even with that Colby (Covington) fight, it took forever for them to book it. For this fight, it took forever to book it. I think it’s more so because this guy’s training to hold onto that belt as long as possible and act like he’s a longstanding champion and looks at it like, ‘Oh, I’ve been a champion for 300 days’ like it means something.”
Muhammad didn’t hold back on his criticism of Edwards’ perceived reluctance to fight. “In the end, your resume is what means something. When you look at guys like Kamaru (Usman), who was an active champion, those are the champions you respect – guys like (Israel) Adesanya and (Alexander) Volkanovski, who looked up the next challenger right away. Leon, he’s a coward. His team, they’re all afraid because they know he’s not that good and they know I’m a terrible matchup for them and they’re trying to delay this as long as possible.”
The 35-year-old Muhammad is not just fighting for a title; he’s fighting to prove a point. “Nobody hears about Leon – Leon doesn’t talk,” Muhammad remarked. “He comes on a podcast once every three months and he whispers. Nobody can understand what he’s saying. He looks stupid – doesn’t have confidence. He’s awkward. He’s weird. And I think I’m going to do everyone a favor on July 27: After I beat him, we’re going to be done. We don’t have to hear about him no more. The UFC doesn’t have to promote him no more because he’s not going to be the champion, so then he’ll be forced to do stuff himself.”
Muhammad’s animosity towards Edwards extends beyond their upcoming fight. Their history includes a no-contest in March 2021 at UFC Fight Night 187, when Edwards poked Muhammad in the eye. “I literally hate his guts,” Muhammad confessed. “He’s making me hate people with a London accent. People with that British accent piss me off. Anytime I hear him, anytime I see him, it just makes me angry.”
Adding to the tension, Muhammad took aim at Edwards’ team. “They all have low IQ. They’re not very smart. They’re the people that give fighters a bad name because people look at fighters and think we’re dumb. No, there’s fighters that are educated. I have a degree. There’s some guys out there that aren’t that dumb, but when you hear Leon talk, his coaches talk, his team talk, you’re like, ‘Man, all these fighters are dumb as rocks.’ That’s what his whole team is. They’re dumb as rocks. I can’t wait to end them and their team.”
Muhammad is preparing for a dominant performance at UFC 304, envisioning a scenario where he toys with Edwards before securing a decisive victory. “Honestly, I think I’m going to rock him really early, and then I’m going to take him down,” Muhammad predicted. “I could finish him with a TKO, but I’m just going to let him back up. Then I’m going to look to his coach and I’m going to tell his coach, ‘Yo, give him some motivational words. Tell him to man up. Hurry up.’ And his coach is going to look at me like, ‘I don’t know what to tell him.’ Then I’m just going to hit him again and say, ‘Say something to him.’ Then I’m going to hit him again. Then I’m going to get him in a rear-naked choke, probably in the first round, and then right before he’s about to tap, I’m going to let him go.”
He continued, “Second round, I’m going to take him down again. I’m going to start hitting him, elbowing him. This time, I’m going to look to his brother like, ‘Bro, you’re not going to come in for your brother? You’re not going to help your brother out?’ Then he’s going to look at me, he’s going to curse at me, he’s going to swear at me. I’m just going to be smiling. Then I’m going to look at Leon and be like, ‘All right, I’m done with you.’ Then I’m going to finish him in the second round. You can call me ‘Mystic Muhammad.’”
With emotions running high and a long-awaited opportunity finally in sight, Belal Muhammad’s clash with Leon Edwards promises to be an explosive showdown that could redefine the welterweight division.
