Leon Edwards releases first statement after UFC 304 loss to Belal Muhammad

Leon Edwards lost his UFC welterweight title at UFC 304 after losing to Belal Muhammad. Now the former champion has released a heartfelt statement for his fans. Edwards’ defeat on Saturday night was a tough one, as Belal’s strong takedowns and control totally dominated “Rocky.” 

The former champion posted a heartfelt note 

Edwards posted a photo on Instagram and in the caption, he described how that night was tough for him. He apologized to his fans because he couldn’t finish the job this time but promised that he will get back up. “I’ve been through tougher times in life and I will get back up. Thank you for all the love and support. I will get this back in blood,” wrote Edwards.  

Edwards was on a 13-fight undefeated streak since 2016, which finally broke on Saturday. During the match, “Rocky” was taken down nine times and controlled for more than 12 minutes. Edwards’ undefeated streak included a stunning knockout win over Kamaru Usman to win the welterweight title and subsequent title defenses. However, Belal Muhammad’s strategy of putting constant pressure and making takedowns proved too much for Leon, which gave “Remember the name” a great unanimous decision win. 

There was a little hope for Edwards in the third round when he managed to reverse a takedown and control his opponent’s back. However, he was unable to inflict big damage or try for a submission. By the fifth round, “Bully B” once again gained control and ultimately scored the win. 

Rocky will potentially return later this year 

Following the loss, UFC President Dana White dismissed the possibility of an immediate rematch. Edwards will potentially return to the Octagon later this year, either in November or December. His potential opponents include Shavkat Rakhmonov, who has an 18-0 record and also a 100% finish rate. Another contender is Jack Della Maddalena. 

Matchup with Ian Machado Garry is also an interesting one. He currently ranks #7 in the welterweight division and has a longstanding history with Edwards, including an incident where he was reportedly told not to come back in Edward’s gym. However, the Irish fighter claimed that he was politely asked not to come back due to a potential future clash. The tension between the two rose so much that Edwards even called Garry weird and recalled past sparring sessions in which he sent Ian to the hospital. Given their grudge, a contest between them could be quite exciting. 

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