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Curtis Blaydes Reflects on UFC 304 Loss: “I Tossed Out the Game Plan”

Curtis Blaydes returned to England at UFC 304 where there was still a score to settle with fellow top heavyweight Tom Aspinall. The two men first met back in 2022 where the fight only lasted 15 seconds following an unfortunate injury to the Brit. With Aspinall holding the interim heavyweight title and being keen to […]

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Curtis Blaydes returned to England at UFC 304 where there was still a score to settle with fellow top heavyweight Tom Aspinall.

The two men first met back in 2022 where the fight only lasted 15 seconds following an unfortunate injury to the Brit.

With Aspinall holding the interim heavyweight title and being keen to run this one back, the stage was set for Manchester on July 27.

In the short time that their initial encounter lasted, Blaydes had some success with his striking even if it was only a few quick exchanges.

He wasn’t able to show any of his grappling skills that would surely be a pivotal factor in the rematch.

Curtis Blaydes Reflects On What Went Wrong At UFC 304

Once again at UFC 304, Blaydes wasn’t able to really test Aspinall’s wrestling which is where “Razor” holds the clearest advantage.

He stood with his opponent which is always a dangerous game considering the timing, speed and power that the interim champ brings to the table.

As the opening minute came to a close, Blaydes became the latest man to fall to Aspinall within the first round.

He recently reflected on the fight and what went wrong for him in an interview with James Lynch for Inside Fighting.

The former title challenger said that after landing some strikes of his own early on, his original game plan went out the window in that moment.

“He starts fast, that’s the biggest thing, that’s what we knew heading into it and I kinda tossed out the game plan. We had a game plan that I was going to engage with the wrestling and engage with the clinch but I touched him early on and adrenaline kicked in and I just tossed out the game plan.

There’s no excuse, he was the better man that night, all the praise goes to him. He landed the shot, he pounced, he got the TKO and I mean, if I gotta lose, it’s not like he’s a bum so.”

Continue Reading Curtis Blaydes Reflects on UFC 304 Loss: “I Tossed Out the Game Plan” at MMA News.

Leon Edwards’ Brother On Loss To Belal Muhammad: ‘Always Had Unfair Situations Given To Him!’

Fabian Edwards believes his brother, former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, was made to defend his title in “unfair” conditions this past summer. After withstanding challenges from both Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington in 2023, Edwards returned for his first assignment of 2024 three months ago. “Rocky” was tasked with stalling the championship ambitions of […]

Continue Reading Leon Edwards’ Brother On Loss To Belal Muhammad: ‘Always Had Unfair Situations Given To Him!’ at MMA News.

Fabian Edwards believes his brother, former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, was made to defend his title in “unfair” conditions this past summer.

After withstanding challenges from both Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington in 2023, Edwards returned for his first assignment of 2024 three months ago.

“Rocky” was tasked with stalling the championship ambitions of Belal Muhammad on home soil, with their rematch headlining UFC 304 in Manchester, England this past July.

Edwards ultimately failed in that goal, with “Remember the Name” putting on a dominant display to extend his unbeaten run to 11 and ensure he exited the Co-op Live with the welterweight gold in his possession.

Fabian Edwards Laments Time For Brother’s UFC 304 Title Defense

During a recent interview with Bloody Elbow ahead of his own upcoming title fight, Fabian reflected on the end of his brother’s reign at the hands of Muhammad in Manchester.

The younger of the fighting siblings pointed to the 5 AM start time as a major factor in Leon’s defeat at UFC 304. The decision to keep timings on the US pay-per-view schedule is just the latest instance of “Rocky” being made to compete in “unfair situations,” according to Fabian.

“You know what it is? It was the time,” Fabian said. “I know everyone will say, ‘Oh, the time,’ or whatever, but most people couldn’t even stay awake until that time. So having to fight (for) a world title fight at that time? Come on. I’ve said it to everyone, how he performed in that fight was exactly how the last couple of weeks in training was. We were just like, putting it off because you do find things.

“That’s just the way it goes. Leon’s never had an easy path,” he continued. “Even once he became champion, he’s always had unfair situations given to him, but it is what it is. He will be back.”

It remains to be seen what lies next in the career of Leon Edwards, but he vowed to bounce back and “rise again” in his first post-fight remarks on social media.

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A post shared by Leon "Rocky" Edwards (@leonedwardsmma)

For now, the UFC star will have his focus and energy on the exploits of his brother, as Fabian gets set for a second opportunity at dethroning Johnny Eblen in Saudi Arabia next weekend.

Read More: PFL Announces Full Card For ‘Battle Of The Giants’ PPV Headlined By Francis Ngannou

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Belal Muhammad Explains Why He’s Happy To Kick Leon Edwards When He’s Down

Belal Muhammad recently shared why he still relishes trading verbal jabs with Leon Edwards, even after securing a victory over “Rocky”. Muhammad scored a controlling unanimous decision win over Edwards, capturing the UFC welterweight crown in their much-anticipated rematch in Manchester this past July. The clash at UFC 304 was a re-run, as their first […]

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Belal Muhammad recently shared why he still relishes trading verbal jabs with Leon Edwards, even after securing a victory over “Rocky”.

Muhammad scored a controlling unanimous decision win over Edwards, capturing the UFC welterweight crown in their much-anticipated rematch in Manchester this past July.

The clash at UFC 304 was a re-run, as their first meeting in March 2021 ended in controversy when a brutal eye-poke from Edwards prevented “Remember the Name” from continuing past the second round, resulting in a no-contest.

Muhammad was riding an impressive 10-fight unbeaten streak, boasting victories over tough opponents like Gilbert Burns, Sean Brady, and Stephen Thompson. However, despite his dominant run, he had to tirelessly campaign for over a year to secure a title shot, as “Rocky” and his team continuously dismissed him as an unworthy challenger for the belt.

“Remember the Name” faced a barrage of criticism and skepticism throughout his journey, and since toppling Edwards at UFC 304, he hasn’t held back in voicing his disdain…

Muhammad’s Grudge Against Edwards Stems From Being Overlooked

During a recent interview with UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping, Muhammad was questioned why he continues to take digs at Edwards even after decisively defeating him. The newly crowned welterweight champion explained that his frustration with the Jamaican-born Brit arose from being repeatedly dismissed in the title conversation.

Now that he’s beaten “Rocky”, Muhammad says Edwards’ teammates have begun making excuses, which only fuels his desire to keep taking shots at his former opponent.

“It got to me, it pissed me off,” Muhammad said. “And that’s why even now, where I hate to even bring up fights, when I beat a fighter, I never want to kick a man when he’s down. But Leon, I’ll kick when he’s down, I don’t care. I’m gonna make him pay because they said I wasn’t worth it, they said he was gonna walk through me, they said I was going to be an easy fight.”

“And for me to go out there and beat him the way I did, and now for him to go ghost—nobody even knows what happened to him—and for his team to come out with little excuses, like saying, ‘Oh, he had a bad back the whole time,’ and Leon comes out and says, ‘Oh, I didn’t get good sleep,’ like bro, just own up to it. I was better than you. I am better than you. That’s the difference between great fighters and the ones that fizzle out—they always come up with excuses for every loss.”

Since his recent victory, Muhammad has elevated his trash-talking game, regularly firing back at critics on social media. The 37-year-old Chicago native has also been locked in a heated war of words with former champion Kamaru Usman, stoking the flames for a potential showdown, while also teasing his first title defense against Shavkat Rakhmonov.

Read More: Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Coach: ‘King’ Belal Muhammad Turned The Tables On UFC

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Former Opponent Reveals That He Perfectly Predicted “Randy Couture Style” Welterweight Title Win For Belal Muhammad At UFC 304

Belal Muhammad came into UFC 304 as the underdog but he certainly didn’t look like it in the early hours of the morning in Manchester. The welterweight title challenger largely dominated Leon Edwards to become the champion via a unanimous decision verdict. After Edwards had already beaten top grapplers in Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, […]

Continue Reading Former Opponent Reveals That He Perfectly Predicted “Randy Couture Style” Welterweight Title Win For Belal Muhammad At UFC 304 at MMA News.

Belal Muhammad came into UFC 304 as the underdog but he certainly didn’t look like it in the early hours of the morning in Manchester.

The welterweight title challenger largely dominated Leon Edwards to become the champion via a unanimous decision verdict.

After Edwards had already beaten top grapplers in Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, many assumed that he would have no problem thwarting the heavy wrestling approach of Muhammad, but this wasn’t the case.

Having been inside the Octagon with him for 25 minutes, a former opponent of the current champion saw this performance coming from him and successfully predicted it ahead of time.

Gilbert Burns Reveals Correct Pre-Fight Prediction & Breakdown For UFC 304

During a recent episode of the Believe You Me Podcast, Michael Bisping was joined by former welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns.

Burns is looking to bounce back from consecutive defeats next time out when he faces Sean Brady, both of whom whom were beaten by Muhammad during his undefeated run to the title.

“Durinho” revealed during the interview that he wasn’t surprised by what went down in Manchester and had in fact, told Bisping ahead of time.

After going through his messages, the former middleweight champion was able to find the message which correctly called that “Remember The Name” would get his hand raised on July 27 and how he would do it.

Bisping read the message aloud having asked Burns for his prediction, only to then forget to mention it during the live broadcast.

“Tough fight but I believe Belal’s going to make it a dog fight. I think that’s the only way for him to win and I believe he will do that. Randy Couture style dog fight. Inside dirty boxing mixed up with the wrestling.”

Continue Reading Former Opponent Reveals That He Perfectly Predicted “Randy Couture Style” Welterweight Title Win For Belal Muhammad At UFC 304 at MMA News.

Belal Muhammad: There’s ‘Turmoil’ Between Leon Edwards & Coach After UFC 304 Loss

UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad had to wait three years to get his shot at a rematch with Leon Edwards. After their first fight ended in a no contest due to an eye poke, both men put together impressive winning streaks before meeting against at UFC 304. In that time, Muhammad was very open about […]

Continue Reading Belal Muhammad: There’s ‘Turmoil’ Between Leon Edwards & Coach After UFC 304 Loss at MMA News.

UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad had to wait three years to get his shot at a rematch with Leon Edwards.

After their first fight ended in a no contest due to an eye poke, both men put together impressive winning streaks before meeting against at UFC 304.

In that time, Muhammad was very open about his dislike of Edwards for not wanting to fight him, but with that being said, he was honest about a potential trilogy fight between them.

“Rocky” could seemingly put himself back in the title picture with a bounce-back win, and the champion acknowledged that.

Belal Muhammad Questions Whether Leon Edwards Will Recover From Loss & Corner Conflict

In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Muhammad gave his thoughts on the current state of the 170-pound division and whether he expects to cross paths with Edwards once again.

He believes that whilst “Rocky” can certainly put his name back in the mix if he goes away and beats a fellow top contender, he doesn’t know whether that will happen.

Muhammad said that it will be an uphill battle for the former champion to come back as the same fighter with the same hunger, after what took place in Manchester.

He also made reference to how Edwards could be dealing with a fractured team after what happened inside the Octagon on July 27.

The Brit’s head coach Dave Lovell, in trying to motivate his fighter, asked him whether he wanted him to wave the fight off and call it a night to which Edwards seemingly told him to “shut the f*** up”.

Muhammad said that this factor may mean it’ll take some time before Edwards is on his radar once again.

“There’s not a lot of guys that you’re looking at like this is a clear number one contender, this guy’s clear number one contender, so Leon could go out there, get one win and if it’s a huge win, there’s a possibility that he could get his name back in the mix. But, it all just comes back mentally.

“I don’t know if him and his coach are gonna have like a break-up party now because they looked pretty bad in the corner right. There’s a lot of turmoil there so I feel like there’s gonna be a lot of blame and a lot of embarrassment coming from that team and a lot of just embarrassment from himself.”

Continue Reading Belal Muhammad: There’s ‘Turmoil’ Between Leon Edwards & Coach After UFC 304 Loss at MMA News.

Muhammad Mokaev wants to fight for free: ‘Hopefully I will be back’

Following his controversial exit from the UFC earlier this month, unbeaten flyweight contender, Muhammad Mokaev has now claimed he…

Following his controversial exit from the UFC earlier this month, unbeaten flyweight contender, Muhammad Mokaev has now claimed he would consider fighting for free if the promotion weighed up potentially resigning him in the future.

Mokaev, who had cracked the top-10 rankings of the organization’s flyweight division ahead of his return at UFC 304, fought out his contractual obligations in his decision win over Angolan-born rival, Manel Kape.

Landing his thirteenth professional victory with his win against fellow contender, Kape, Mokaev confirmed he had fought out his contractual obligations with the UFC – before CEO, Dana White also maintained that the British star would not be resigned due to a host of issues behind the scenes.

“I’m sure one of the matchmakers said something to him (Muhammad Mokaev) or whatever,” Dana White said after UFC 304. “The matchmakers aren’t big fans of his for many different reasons. There’s a lot of people who shoot takedowns in this business, a lot of guys that fight with that type of style. But it’s a lot more than just that.”

Dana White confirms Muhammad Mokaev set to split from UFC: 'PFL's going to get a great guy'

“He’s not under contract anymore,” White said of Mokaev. “I think the PFL’s going to get a great undefeated guy. Good luck to him.”

Muhammad Mokaev offers to fight for free in UFC return

And hoping to land himself back in the Octagon in the future amid his spat, Mokaev claimed he would ever compete free of charge in order to fight in the UFC once more.

“I said to Hunter Campbell, whatever I’ve done at the hotel, I’m ready to pay for that and fight my next fight in the UFC for free,” Muhammad Mokaev told MMA Junkie. “Whatever trouble I make, I think it’s unprofessional, but it’s something that was in my heart for a long time – I had to get rid of it. And I think I’ve taken a big lesson. I want to come back to UFC and hopefully I will be back.”

Do you think Muhammad Mokaev will make a return to the UFC?