Tag: belal muhammad

UFC 304: Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad 2 Weigh-In Live Stream & Results

UFC 304 takes place tomorrow night, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results! For the first time in almost a decade, the Octagon is in the English city of Manchester, marking the promotion’s first visit to a UK destination other than London since the COVID-19 outbreak. And the mixed martial […]

Continue Reading UFC 304: Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad 2 Weigh-In Live Stream & Results at MMA News.

UFC 304 takes place tomorrow night, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

For the first time in almost a decade, the Octagon is in the English city of Manchester, marking the promotion’s first visit to a UK destination other than London since the COVID-19 outbreak.

And the mixed martial arts leader has brought a lineup worthy of the occasion with it across the pond, with two title fights and a host of major undercard bouts set to go down.

The championship bouts at the top of the card will see home favorites Leon Edwards and Tom Aspinall put their pieces of gold on the line in rematches, with Belal Muhammad challenging for the welterweight strap and Curtis Blaydes vying for the interim heavyweight belt.

Elsewhere on the card, Liverpool native Paddy Pimblett gets his first crack at the rankings opposite King Green, Arnold Allen looks to snap his losing skid at the expense of Giga Chikadze, and top flyweights Muhammad Mokaev and Manel Kape settle their bad blood in a potential title eliminator at 125 pounds.

UFC 304: Edwards vs. Muhammad 2 Weigh-In Results

UFC 304 takes place Saturday, July 27, at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.

See above for a live stream of the UFC 304 Weigh-In Show, and check out the full results below!

Main Card:

  • Welterweight Championship Main Event: Leon Edwards (170lbs) vs. Belal Muhammad
  • Interim Heavyweight Championship Co-Main Event: Tom Aspinall vs. Curtis Blaydes
  • Lightweight: King Green vs. Paddy Pimblett
  • Middleweight: Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Gregory Rodrigues
  • Featherweight: Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze

Preliminary Card:

  • Featherweight: Nathaniel Wood vs. Daniel Pineda
  • Women’s Strawweight: Molly McCann vs. Bruna Brasil
  • Bantamweight: Caolán Loughran vs. Jake Hadley
  • Light Heavyweight: Modestas Bukauskas vs. Marcin Prachnio

Early Preliminary Card:

  • Welterweight: Oban Elliott vs. Preston Parsons
  • Flyweight: Muhammad Mokaev vs. Manel Kape
  • Welterweight: Sam Patterson vs. Kiefer Crosbie
  • Heavyweight: Mick Parkin vs. ?ukasz Brzeski
  • Women’s Strawweight: Shauna Bannon vs. Alice Ardelean

Continue Reading UFC 304: Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad 2 Weigh-In Live Stream & Results at MMA News.

Belal Muhammad: ‘I don’t like Manchester’, turns back on UFC 304 audience

Belal Muhammad: 'I don't like Manchester', turns his back on UFC 304 audienceBelal Muhammad has made his feelings more than clear for the city of Manchester ahead of his title fight…

Belal Muhammad: 'I don't like Manchester', turns his back on UFC 304 audience

Belal Muhammad has made his feelings more than clear for the city of Manchester ahead of his title fight return at UFC 304 this weekend – claiming he is less than a fan of the ‘Rainy City’. 

Muhammad, the current number two ranked welterweight challenger, returns this weekend at UFC 304 – taking on soon-to-be two-time opponent, Leon Edwards, in a bid to become the welterweight crown.

belal ufc 304

First matching with the Birmingham native back in 2020, Muhammad took on Edwards the UFC Apex facility, the two fought to an eventual second round official ‘No Contest’ – with the latter landing a slew of inadvertent eye pokes, leaving Muhammad unable to continue. 

Since then, Muhammad has taken home notable wins over the trio of former title challengers, Stephen Thompson, Demian Maia, Gilbert Burns, as well as Vicente Luque, and landed an impressive knockout victory against Sean Brady.

leon

Belal Muhammad vetos his support for Manchester

Appearing on stage during yesterday’s pre-fight press conference in Manchester, Muhamamd was met with a chorus of boos and jeers each time he approached his microphone – and despite initially praising the city earlier this month, has done a complete one-eighty on that stance.

“Ok I don’t like Manchester anymore,” Belal Muhammad posted on his official X account.

Furthermore, at yesterday’s pre-fight press conference at the Co-Op Live Arena – Muhammad managed to get one over on Edwards – mocking the British fighter’s infamous ‘headshot, dead’ taunt during their staredown, before remaining still after the champion lunged at him – in an unsuccessful bid to psych him out. 

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After being corralled by UFC officials and security personnel, Muhammad began verbally fighting back-and-forth with members of Edwards’ entourage, with CEO, Dana White actually trying to play peacemaker between the duo. 

Who do you think wins at UFC 304: Leon Edwards or Belal Muhammad?

Belal Muhammad: ‘I don’t like Manchester’, turns back on UFC 304 audience

Belal Muhammad: 'I don't like Manchester', turns his back on UFC 304 audienceBelal Muhammad has made his feelings more than clear for the city of Manchester ahead of his title fight…

Belal Muhammad: 'I don't like Manchester', turns his back on UFC 304 audience

Belal Muhammad has made his feelings more than clear for the city of Manchester ahead of his title fight return at UFC 304 this weekend – claiming he is less than a fan of the ‘Rainy City’. 

Muhammad, the current number two ranked welterweight challenger, returns this weekend at UFC 304 – taking on soon-to-be two-time opponent, Leon Edwards, in a bid to become the welterweight crown.

belal ufc 304

First matching with the Birmingham native back in 2020, Muhammad took on Edwards the UFC Apex facility, the two fought to an eventual second round official ‘No Contest’ – with the latter landing a slew of inadvertent eye pokes, leaving Muhammad unable to continue. 

Since then, Muhammad has taken home notable wins over the trio of former title challengers, Stephen Thompson, Demian Maia, Gilbert Burns, as well as Vicente Luque, and landed an impressive knockout victory against Sean Brady.

leon

Belal Muhammad vetos his support for Manchester

Appearing on stage during yesterday’s pre-fight press conference in Manchester, Muhamamd was met with a chorus of boos and jeers each time he approached his microphone – and despite initially praising the city earlier this month, has done a complete one-eighty on that stance.

“Ok I don’t like Manchester anymore,” Belal Muhammad posted on his official X account.

Furthermore, at yesterday’s pre-fight press conference at the Co-Op Live Arena – Muhammad managed to get one over on Edwards – mocking the British fighter’s infamous ‘headshot, dead’ taunt during their staredown, before remaining still after the champion lunged at him – in an unsuccessful bid to psych him out. 

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After being corralled by UFC officials and security personnel, Muhammad began verbally fighting back-and-forth with members of Edwards’ entourage, with CEO, Dana White actually trying to play peacemaker between the duo. 

Who do you think wins at UFC 304: Leon Edwards or Belal Muhammad?

Belal Muhammad Ponders Reason For Fan Hate Ahead Of UFC 304: ‘I’m Not A Black Belt…I’m Just A Normal Guy’ 

UFC welterweight contender Belal Muhammad believes he knows why a sizable portion of the MMA community is against him. Muhammad is set to make the walk in the main event of this weekend’s UFC 304 pay-per-view at the Co-op Live in Manchester, England, where he’ll challenge for Leon Edwards’ 170-pound title in enemy territory. Getting […]

Continue Reading Belal Muhammad Ponders Reason For Fan Hate Ahead Of UFC 304: ‘I’m Not A Black Belt…I’m Just A Normal Guy’  at MMA News.

UFC welterweight contender Belal Muhammad believes he knows why a sizable portion of the MMA community is against him.

Muhammad is set to make the walk in the main event of this weekend’s UFC 304 pay-per-view at the Co-op Live in Manchester, England, where he’ll challenge for Leon Edwards’ 170-pound title in enemy territory.

Getting to the first shot of his UFC career hasn’t been an easy ride for “Remember the Name,” who has had to go unbeaten through 10 fights and win five straight since a no contest opposite “Rocky” to earn the chance.

Despite that arduous journey, however, it would appear that Muhammad still boasts a bigger group of detractors than most in the sport.

While some have put that down to his style of fighting, the UFC 304 title challenger has other theories…

Muhammad Explains Why Fans Don’t Want Him To Succeed

During a recent fight week interview with Daniel Cormier, Muhammad looked ahead to his first opportunity at winning gold on MMA’s biggest stage and assessed the continued doubt many are throwing his way.

In addition to his victories over widely adored fighters like Stephen Thompson and Gilbert Burns, Muhammad suggested the fanbase doesn’t respect a “blue-collar guy” making it in the sport without the kind of combat credentials others boast.

“I just feel like I’ve beaten their favorite fighters. I’ve beaten the fan favorites,” Muhammad said. “And when you look at me, I’m not a black belt in anything, I didn’t wrestle in college, I didn’t have the crazy accolades, Olympian or anything like that. I’m just a normal guy that outworks everybody. I’m a normal guy that started late in my career and did it the hard route. People just don’t respect that. But I’m the blue-collar guy.

“We’re in a new day and age. You’ve gotta be outlandish, you’ve gotta say stupid stuff, you’ve gotta be flashy, you’ve gotta smoke weed to get that hype,” Muhammad continued. “The fans nowadays, that’s what they’re looking at. … I’ve been telling people, if GSP was in this era, I don’t think anybody would like him. People would be like, ‘This guy’s boring, he’s too nice, he’s Canadian.’ … In his era, I would have been a superstar.”

Following Thursday’s press conference, there’s little doubt over the kind of reception Muhammad will receive from those in attendance at the Co-op Live in Manchester on Saturday night.

But he expects to upset the home crowd and the odds at UFC 304, completing a title crowning that he’s long branded inevitable in the process.

Continue Reading Belal Muhammad Ponders Reason For Fan Hate Ahead Of UFC 304: ‘I’m Not A Black Belt…I’m Just A Normal Guy’  at MMA News.

UFC Commentator Feels The Delayed Start Time Of UFC 304 Will Not Affect Fighters Or Fans

UFC commentator Laura Sanko recently assured that the postponed start time for UFC 304 would have minimal impact on both the fighters and the fans in the United Kingdom. The eighth numbered UFC pay-per-view event of 2024 is just around the corner, set to unfold this Saturday at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester. The […]

Continue Reading UFC Commentator Feels The Delayed Start Time Of UFC 304 Will Not Affect Fighters Or Fans at MMA News.

UFC commentator Laura Sanko recently assured that the postponed start time for UFC 304 would have minimal impact on both the fighters and the fans in the United Kingdom.

The eighth numbered UFC pay-per-view event of 2024 is just around the corner, set to unfold this Saturday at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester. The card will feature two headline title fights, both of which are eagerly anticipated rematches.

In the main event, UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards will defend his title against Belal Muhammad. Meanwhile, the co-main event will see interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall clash with Curtis Blaydes.

Since the announcement of the UFC 304 schedule, a storm of controversy and fan uproar has erupted over the decision to start the fight card at typical United States times, even though the event is taking place in the United Kingdom.

The event broadcast is set to begin at 11 PM BST on Saturday, July 27. Consequently, the headlining fighters are expected to make their Octagon walkouts between 5:00 and 5:15 AM the following morning. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the fight card will kick off at approximately 6 PM ET / 3 PM PT on Saturday afternoon, with the main card slated to start around 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT.

However, UFC’s first female color commentator believes that the late-night and early-morning schedule will neither hinder the fighters nor deter the viewers…

Sanko Believes UFC 304 Excitement Will Keep Fans Hooked

During a recent interview with MMAFightingonSBN, Sanko, who will be fulfilling her role as a desk analyst for UFC 304, offered her insights on the pay-per-view broadcast schedule. She acknowledged that while the schedule is less than ideal for the fans, it ultimately won’t matter much on fight night, given the high anticipation surrounding the card.

“It’s unfortunate for the fans, but I think when that day comes, it’s not gonna matter for the fans or for the athletes,” Sanko said. “I think the energy is going to be so off-the-charts it’s not going to matter if you’re a fan and trust me; you’re going to be able to soldier through because the action from these fights is going to be enough to keep you going, hopefully.”

The UFC broadcaster further noted that the last PPV event in Manchester, UFC 204 in October 2016, also followed a similar schedule. She emphasized that the real challenge for fighters lies in preparing for the late-night bouts rather than the timing of the event itself.

“Here’s my one tip: just don’t start drinking too early. That’s going to be the downfall of at least a certain proportion of this fan base. But I think for the fighters, you know, Leon Edwards actually had this exact same situation when he fought on Michael Bisping’s card, where he had his huge win over Dan Henderson in Manchester. So he’s familiar with it, and he said the same thing.

He said, ‘Listen, it didn’t matter. The moment I walked out to that arena, it could have been 2 o’clock in the afternoon, it could have been 2 o’clock in the morning, I wouldn’t have known the difference. I was headed into a fight.’ So I think it sucks probably more in the lead-up, the preparation, stressing about it, stressing about how it might affect you. But I think when the time comes, these guys are just going to do their job.”

Both Aspinall and Blaydes have voiced their grievances about the absurd fight timings, but the MMA promotion remains steadfast in its decision. Meanwhile, “Rocky” has reportedly gone so far as to hire a sleep specialist to help him adjust to the unconventional schedule.

Continue Reading UFC Commentator Feels The Delayed Start Time Of UFC 304 Will Not Affect Fighters Or Fans at MMA News.

Leon Edwards lunges at Belal Muhammad in tense UFC 304 presser face off

Leon Edwards lunges at Belal Muhammad in tense UFC 304 presser face offSharing the stage today at the Co-op Live Arena ahead of a massive welterweight title fight rematch with Belal…

Leon Edwards lunges at Belal Muhammad in tense UFC 304 presser face off

Sharing the stage today at the Co-op Live Arena ahead of a massive welterweight title fight rematch with Belal Muhammad this weekend at UFC 304, incumbent gold holder, Leon Edwards failed in a bid to psych out the challenger, lunging at him before being restrained by security officials.

Edwards, the incumbent undisputed welterweight champion, headlines this weekend’s UFC 304 card against the above-mentioned Illinois contender, Muhammad, in a bid to rack up his third consecutive successful title defense. 

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First fighting back in 2020 in the pair’s high-stakes main event bout at the UFC Apex facility, Edwards landed multiple eye pokes en route to an eventual second round stoppage against Muhammad – resulting in an official ‘No Contest’.

belal ufc 304

And sharing the stage this weekend ahead of their UFC 304 title fight re-run in Manchester, Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad – who shared a tense encounter inside an elevator in the ‘Rainy City’ earlier this week, 

Accusing Muhammad of becoming too reactive and emotionally invested in their title rematch this weekend, Edwards would be unconscious within just three rounds in Manchester according to the title challenger – who urged the crowd to wake him up with their chanting once he knocks him out. 

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Leon Edwards lunges at Belal Muhammad in tense UFC 304 presser

Sharing the stage with UFC CEO, Dana White for a tense face-off – Muhammad imitated Edwards’ infamous ‘headshot dead’ taunt, before the latter lunged at the title challenger – to no avail in a bid to make him react, with security officials and UFC personnel immediately corralling the duo. 

Hitting out at Edwards’ entourage on stage as the above-mentioned organizational leader, White attempted to play peacekeeper, Muhammad made his way off stage ahead of a massive, and now-bad-blooded title affair this weekend in the promotion’s return to the United Kingdom in a pay-per-view setting for the first time since 2016. 

Who wins this weekend at UFC 304: Leon Edwards or Belal Muhammad?