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LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 16: (R-L) Leon Edwards of England kicks Gunnar Nelson of Iceland in their welterweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at The O2 Arena on March 16, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 16: (R-L) Leon Edwards of England kicks Gunnar Nelson of Iceland in their welterweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at The O2 Arena on March 16, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs Muhammad has been built around an exciting Welterweight main event. Leon Edwards faces off against rising contender Belal Muhammad in a massive ranked fight. Edwards is currently in the top three of the division. A win here would presumably move him into the #1 contender’s spot.
However, Belal Muhammad isn’t ranked as highly as Leon. Belal is #10 in the division. He is getting this fight after taking it on short notice. Khamzat Chimaev was the original opponent for Edwards, but their fight was cancelled for the third time after Khamzat struggled with COVID symptoms.
Bringing the heat to #UFCVegas21 fight week 🔥
📺📱 Watch Edwards vs. Muhammad this Sunday on ESPN and @UFCFightPass pic.twitter.com/pjlzzkl6aW
— UFC_AUSNZ (@UFC_AUSNZ) March 11, 2021
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Chimaev posed an exciting challenge for Edwards that many believe Muhammad doesn’t. While Belal is a very well-rounded fighter, it is hard to pinpoint any area he is markedly better than Leon in. This is a mismatch, but one with high rewards for Muhammad. Can he surprise Edwards and derail his eight-fight win streak, or be another casualty?
UFC Fight Night: Can Belal Muhammad pull off the upset?
Belal Muhammad is a hard fighter to game-plan for. However, Edwards has detailed very clearly what he feels Belal will be planning on doing in this fight. A decision result looks likely from both these fighters, who have excellent wrestling and cardio.
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 20: (L-R) Belal Muhammad punches Lyman Good in their welterweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on June 20, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
However, when wrestlers meet each other, it can often become a striking battle. Leon Edwards is known to push the pace of a fight and have unrelenting pressure, which Muhammad could deal with. However, Edwards also packs a lot of power in his punches which make standing with him a very risky choice for most.
READ MORE: ‘Shoot For His Life’- Leon Edwards Predicts Belal Muhammad’s Gameplan For Their Fight
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Edwards lands more significant strikes per fight than Belal, but also takes more shots. It is a high-risk strategy, but Edwards has shown his chin can handle punches. Edwards will take Muhammad into the deep-water right from the start.
If it is a wrestling battle, the edge will go to Leon. The same goes for a striking battle. However, Belal could come out and take advantage of the ring-rust on Leon, who is fighting after 600 days. Belal fought just last month and has been in fighting shape. But with everything considered, we believe Leon Edwards will win the bout via decision.
