Tag: leon edwards

Georges St-Pierre’s Coach Heaps Praise On Belal Muhammad’s Mentality For UFC 304 Win Over Leon Edwards: ‘Covington Couldn’t Take Him Down!’

Georges St-Pierre’s esteemed head coach, Firas Zahabi, recently showered accolades on Belal Muhammad for his tenacious performance against Leon Edwards at UFC 304. “Remember the Name” dethroned the defending UFC welterweight champion last weekend at the Co-Op Live arena in Manchester, United Kingdom. This highly anticipated bout was their second encounter, following their initial fight […]

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Georges St-Pierre’s esteemed head coach, Firas Zahabi, recently showered accolades on Belal Muhammad for his tenacious performance against Leon Edwards at UFC 304.

“Remember the Name” dethroned the defending UFC welterweight champion last weekend at the Co-Op Live arena in Manchester, United Kingdom. This highly anticipated bout was their second encounter, following their initial fight in March 2021, which concluded in a no-contest due to an accidental eye-poke that prevented Muhammad from continuing past the second round.

Muhammad opened the fight with vigor, swiftly executing a takedown that showcased his superior wrestling skills. His fluid blend of takedowns and sharp boxing set the pace early on. In the second round, the American ramped up his offense, slamming “Rocky” headfirst into the canvas and seizing control of the match.

Edwards mounted a fierce comeback in the fourth round, unleashing a flurry of potent strikes. However, Muhammad closed the distance and secured another takedown, maintaining dominant control for the majority of the round. The Englishman managed to reverse the position in the final round, raining down a torrent of elbows that inflicted significant damage on Muhammad’s nose, but his relentless assault wasn’t enough to sway the judges’ scorecards in his favor.

The official scores of the fight were 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46, decisively naming “Remember the Name” as the new UFC welterweight champion.

Zahabi believes that Muhammad deployed an impressive array of techniques against Edwards…

Zahabi Credits Muhammad’s Victory Over Edwards to His Self-Belief

In a recent video on the Tristar Gym YouTube channel, Zahabi analyzed the title fight between Edwards and Muhammad. The esteemed MMA coach lauded the challenger, noting that overcoming a fighter like “Rocky”, known for his exceptional takedown defense, was achievable only through Muhammad’s unwavering confidence in his grappling prowess.

“His boxing was excellent, and his double leg was even better,” Zahabi said. “The way he locked it up, the way he had his back straight, stunning performance. That’s no easy fight. Leon Edwards ain’t no easy fight. Colby Covington couldn’t take him down. Colby Covington, the guy who’s been wrestling his entire life, the guy who was supposed to be the top wrestler in the UFC, he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t do it. How come Belal was taking him down over and over again with such belief? Belal has so much belief in his takedowns.”

Zahabi went on to highlight how “Remember the Name” has improved his skillset to an entirely new level since his first fight against Edwards.

“That’s a very different Belal Muhammad. I think Leon Edwards really underestimated Belal Muhammad. I really think he underestimated him, which was a huge mistake because Belal has really improved in the last three years. He was a great fighter then; he’s a much better fighter now.”

With his recent victory, Muhammad extended his impressive unbeaten streak to 11 consecutive fights in the Octagon.

Although the Chicago native hasn’t yet named an opponent for his first title defense, Shavkat Rakhmonov stands out as the most likely contender.

Continue Reading Georges St-Pierre’s Coach Heaps Praise On Belal Muhammad’s Mentality For UFC 304 Win Over Leon Edwards: ‘Covington Couldn’t Take Him Down!’ at MMA News.

B/R Pound-for-pound UFC Rankings: August 2024

July was an action-packed month for the UFC, with a handful of exciting Fight Night cards across the U.S. and a stacked pay-per-view in Manchester, England.…

July was an action-packed month for the UFC, with a handful of exciting Fight Night cards across the U.S. and a stacked pay-per-view in Manchester, England.…

‘They’re Always Injured When They Lose’ – MMA Fans Don’t React Kindly To Leon Edwards’ Coach Saying He Was Carrying Back Injury Into Belal Muhammad Fight

Many suspected that Leon Edwards could have come into his welterweight title defense at UFC 304 less than in ideal condition following his performance. The champion was defeated by Belal Muhammad over five rounds with his head coach later revealing some details about what they went through in camp. Dave Lovell spoke in an interview […]

Continue Reading ‘They’re Always Injured When They Lose’ – MMA Fans Don’t React Kindly To Leon Edwards’ Coach Saying He Was Carrying Back Injury Into Belal Muhammad Fight at MMA News.

Many suspected that Leon Edwards could have come into his welterweight title defense at UFC 304 less than in ideal condition following his performance.

The champion was defeated by Belal Muhammad over five rounds with his head coach later revealing some details about what they went through in camp.

Dave Lovell spoke in an interview with Submission Radio about how a back injury to Edwards had him questioning whether they should proceed with the fight.

The champion himself made the call to keep aiming for July 27 and whilst Lovell clearly stated that Muhammad more than deserved to win, it did play a factor.

“Where Leon was concerned, a lot of people don’t know this — and I’m not making any kind of excuses for him — but we had a few niggles in camp. His back was niggling him,” Lovell said. “So he couldn’t wrestle the way he really needed to, offensively and defensively. We’re not taking anything away from Belal’s performance. He did well; the best man won on the night. But Leon will be back.”

MMA Fans React On Social Media To Leon Edwards’ Back Injury Problem

Despite a lot of people believing that “Rocky” didn’t look himself in Manchester, the reaction on social media to the news about his back injury didn’t appear to go down well with some fans.

The social media reaction to this clip from the interview appears to have attracted a lot of people who would rather that these things remain behind closed doors.

“They’re always injured when they lose.”

“this is the first of many excuses to come”

“I thought Leon already said in the octagon after the fight the reason he performed the way he did was because he was tired all week. I assume he was talking about the fact that he had to fight on the US time zone in the UK. So thats now 2 excuses from Leon and his camp…”

“Cool story bro, 3-4 more wins and maybe Leon will get another title shot”

“Here comes the excuses”

“Here we go. I like Leon, but I bet if he told Dana before the fight there would be a rematch”

Read also: Leon Edwards’ Coach Names Preferred Next Opponent After Title Loss At UFC 304

Continue Reading ‘They’re Always Injured When They Lose’ – MMA Fans Don’t React Kindly To Leon Edwards’ Coach Saying He Was Carrying Back Injury Into Belal Muhammad Fight at MMA News.

Stephen Thompson Gives Glowing Review Of Belal Muhammad’s Striking At UFC 304: ‘He Was Piecing Edwards Up!’ 

UFC welterweight veteran Stephen Thompson was impressed by what he saw from his former opponent Belal Muhammad on the feet this past weekend. Muhammad emerged from enemy territory with the 170-pound championship in his possession after upsetting the odds to bring Leon Edwards’ reign to a sudden halt at the UFC 304 pay-per-view. Headlining the […]

Continue Reading Stephen Thompson Gives Glowing Review Of Belal Muhammad’s Striking At UFC 304: ‘He Was Piecing Edwards Up!’  at MMA News.

UFC welterweight veteran Stephen Thompson was impressed by what he saw from his former opponent Belal Muhammad on the feet this past weekend.

Muhammad emerged from enemy territory with the 170-pound championship in his possession after upsetting the odds to bring Leon Edwards’ reign to a sudden halt at the UFC 304 pay-per-view.

Headlining the event, which played out inside the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, “Remember the Name” made good on his frequent vows to dominate “Rocky” in their rematch.

For large parts of their contest, Muhammad utilized his takedowns and smothering wrestling game to control Edwards. But it wasn’t just on the ground where he put in solid work.

Amid laughter regarding the challenger and his team’s striking confidence, Muhammad showed clear development in that area, and he even appeared to have the champ hurt in some exchanges.

Thompson Highlights Where Muhammad Had Surprising Striking Success Against Edwards

During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Stephen Thompson broke down the UFC 304 headliner between Edwards and Muhammad round by round.

As one of the division’s top strikers, a mantle he’s long shared alongside the likes of “Rocky,” the former two-time title challenger played close attention to the standup exchanges between the pair.

In that realm, Muhammad certainly went above and beyond expectation, and “Wonderboy” puts that down to three main techniques.

“In the beginning, there was a few striking exchanges. This was something I also noticed in the third round. Three techniques, striking techniques, that really showcased Belal’s striking and really showed his dominance in this fight,” Thompson said. “Number one, Belal Muhammad’s jab. He was piecing him (Edwards) up with that jab! It was so fast. Leon Edwards had a hard time dealing with it, man.

“When Leon decided to jab back, it was the second technique that really frustrated Leon Edwards, and that was his check hook. Normally you don’t see that from the shorter opponent. … Every time Leon Edwards would jab, Belal Muhammad would come over the top of that jab with the check hook, landing that check left hook, which is super frustrating (to be on the receiving end of),” Thompson continued. “And the third technique was his uppercut. He was uppercutting the crap out of Leon Edwards the entire fight.”

Muhammad was quick to comment on his striking display in the aftermath of the UFC 304 headliner, poking fun at those who had mocked his coach’s comparison to Canelo Álvarez’s Mexican-style boxing.

“Remember the Name” will now look to showcase similar skills and development in that area when he returns to the Octagon, with the expectation being that he’ll defend the belt for the first time against the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov.

Continue Reading Stephen Thompson Gives Glowing Review Of Belal Muhammad’s Striking At UFC 304: ‘He Was Piecing Edwards Up!’  at MMA News.

Leon Edwards’ Coach Slams US Timing For UFC 304 Title Fight: ‘It’s A Joke!’ 

Leon Edwards’ coach was seemingly far from pleased to see his man attempting to defend the UFC welterweight title at 5:30 AM this past weekend. Edwards put his gold on the line on home soil for the second consecutive year, making the walk in Manchester, England, 16 months on from his first successful defense at […]

Continue Reading Leon Edwards’ Coach Slams US Timing For UFC 304 Title Fight: ‘It’s A Joke!’  at MMA News.

Leon Edwards’ coach was seemingly far from pleased to see his man attempting to defend the UFC welterweight title at 5:30 AM this past weekend.

Edwards put his gold on the line on home soil for the second consecutive year, making the walk in Manchester, England, 16 months on from his first successful defense at the expense of Kamaru Usman in London.

After adding Colby Covington’s name to his résumé last December, “Rocky” returned to the cage in the UK to headline UFC 304. But unlike his last outing at The O2, the Jamaican-born Brit’s third defense didn’t come in local time.

Edwards competed at gone 5 AM in the morning as the promotion staged its Manchester return at the Co-op Live with the usual American timings. The champ was ultimately dethroned, with Belal Muhammad putting on a largely dominant display to capture the belt.

Talk of the US timings remained prominent throughout the event and in the aftermath, and Edwards suggested that he had struggled to adapt. His coach was also among those frustrated with the unnecessary demands placed on home fighters such as the now-former welterweight kingpin…

Edwards’ Coach On UFC 304 Timing: ‘Belal Never Had To Adjust!’

During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Lovell reflected on his man’s defeat in Manchester, which marked Edwards’ first setback inside the cage since a decision loss to Kamaru Usman way back in 2015.

When asked whether the UFC 304 timings played a part, Lovell let his feelings known on the decision not to accommodate for European fans and the local fighters.

“You tell me (how much of an impact it had). Whichever fighter have you seen in his home country come out at half past 5, 5 AM in the morning, to fight?” Lovell said. “Realistically, it’s a joke really.

“Belal never really had to adjust because his clock is set to the times of what we were fighting to. But Leon, in his home country, had to adapt as if he was acclimatizing, as if he was fighting in another country and fighting at 5:30 in the morning,” Lovell continued. “It just doesn’t seem right somehow.”

Edwards and his team will now look forward to his pursuit of two-time status. With an immediate trilogy fight opposite new champ Muhammad appearing off the table, coach Lovell named Ian Garry as his preferred next opponent for “Rocky.”

“Remember the Name,” meanwhile, will be focused one establishing his reign and legacy at 170 pounds. In the eyes of man, that should begin with a first defense against the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov.

Continue Reading Leon Edwards’ Coach Slams US Timing For UFC 304 Title Fight: ‘It’s A Joke!’  at MMA News.

Leon Edwards suffered back injury ahead of UFC 304: ‘I’m not making excuses’

Leon Edwards suffered from back injury ahead of UFC 304 fight: 'I'm not making excuses'Dropping his undisputed welterweight championship at UFC 304 over the course of last weekend, Leon Edwards’ head coach, Dave…

Leon Edwards suffered from back injury ahead of UFC 304 fight: 'I'm not making excuses'

Dropping his undisputed welterweight championship at UFC 304 over the course of last weekend, Leon Edwards’ head coach, Dave Lovell has revealed his student was dealing with “niggling” injuries including an issue with his back, leading him to struggle with the wrestling offense of Belal Muhammad.

Edwards, who headlined last weekend’s pay-per-view return to Manchester at UFC 304, dropped his undisputed welterweight crown in a one-sided unanimous decision loss to two-time foe, Belal Muhammad – over the course of five rounds.

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Seeing his title run come to an abrupt stop following consecutive title defense wins over former champions, Kamaru Usman, and Colby Covington, Edwards confirmed plans to fight once more this year – amid links to a showdown with unbeaten Irish star, Ian Garry next.

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Leon Edwards dealt with “niggling” back injury pre-UFC 304

Sharing his thoughts on his student’s performance against Muhammad in the pair’s re-run, the previously mentioned, Lovell revealed Edwards was struggling with a “niggle” in the form of a back injury ahead of UFC 304.

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“I’m not making any kind of excuses for him (Leon Edwards), but we had a few niggles in camp,” Dave Lovell told Submission Radio. “His back was niggling him, so he couldn’t wrestle the way he really needed to offensively and defensively because of the niggle that recurred about maybe two, three times. Well, not taking nothing away from Belal’s (Muhammad) performance, you know. He did well, he done well. The best man won on the night, but Leon will be back.”

“Well, believe it not, we had a powwow about it, and I was very dubious because there niggles was going on for about maybe, five or so weeks on and off,” Lovell explained. “He had to go to a chiropractor, regular massages. But again, after one session it was back to Square 1.”

What do you think is next for Leon Edwards after UFC 304?