Edwards v Muhammad 2 preview & betting picks | UFC 304 main event

Sunday’s UFC 304 main event at Co-op Live in Manchester, England, features a matchup between dominant welterweight champion Leon Edwards and worthy contender Belal Muhammad. The contest is a rematch of sorts after a 2021 bout was called off due to an accidental foul.

Edwards v Muhammad fight preview

Leon Edwards vs Belal Muhammad

Leon Edwards (22-3-0) might be the most dominant active champion on the UFC roster. The Brit has only defended his belt twice but has not lost a fight since 2016 — an impressive unbeaten run of 13. The 32-year-old is still improving and has appeared unstoppable since claiming the silverware with emphatic wins over Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington.

Edwards is a southpaw striker who combines timing, range control, footwork, and unusual angles of attack to win his standup encounters. He and his next challenger met in 2021 as hopeful contenders on the rise, but the fight was deemed a no-contest after an accidental eye poke in the second round meant the American could not continue.

Belal Muhammad (23-3-0) has been forced to wait for his shot at UFC gold while building an unbeaten streak of 10 UFC bouts. The 36-year-old has beaten the likes of Gilbert Burns, Sean Brady, and Vicente Luque en route to contender status, but a lack of highlight finishes has slowed his progress.

Muhammad will face a height and reach disadvantage and looks unlikely to match the champion during the standup portions of the fight. Muhammad has only scored a single knockout win since 2019, instead relying on toughness, pressure, and volume to earn the approval of judging panels.

Edwards v Muhammad betting predictions

Edwards enters this title defence as a worthy short-priced favourite with UFC bookmakers. His skill set matches up well against the challenger, who does not possess the same level of striking ability. Muhammad may be forced to hunt for takedowns as this chasm becomes apparent. If successful, he could conceivably dominate Edwards on the mat, but the champion should be ready to counter this strategy.

Edwards appears the obvious victor. There is little value in taking the short odds in the head-to-head market, and the most likely route to victory appears to be via decision. The Jamaica-born fighter should be able to pick his opponent apart from long range while remaining out of harm’s way. Edwards is bound to throw the occasional head kick, but Muhammad has proved his toughness and has only been stopped once as a professional, so he should last the distance.

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