Leon Edwards knows exactly what he wants, and he’s determined to get it! Originally scheduled to face Jack Della Maddalena at UFC Fight Night 255 at the O2 Arena. However, the former champ’s plans took a turn when the UFC brass booked the Aussie against reigning welterweight champion  Belal Muhammad for UFC 315 in Montreal. Now, ‘Rocky’ will square off against #5 ranked Sean Brady, a formidable opponent known for his lethal ground game. But make no mistake — Edwards’ ultimate goal is reclaiming UFC gold, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to achieve it.

Before emotions could flare up on Ariel Helwani’s couch, Edwards weighed in on the upcoming clash between Della Maddalena and Muhammad. During a live session on Helwani’s YouTube channel, ‘Rocky’ shared his prediction, as reported by Verdict MMA on X. “If I had to put money on it, I’d probably go with JDM,” Edwards said. “His boxing might shut Belal down, and his scrambles are really good.” Even though the 28-year-old  Aussie fighter did say that it was ‘easy to drop’ Edwards still chose him as the winner. In light of his feud with the Palestinian American, this choice seems warranted!

However just like Muhammad put on his ‘soothsayer’ vision to predict his ‘dominating’ win over ‘Rocky’, this time he vowed to show his boxing skills against JDM. Muhammad is going to ditch his old method of wrestling and striking to show some “Canelo Hands” against JDM. In an interview with The Coach and The Casual, the champ stated: “I’m gonna go in there, I’m gonna outbox Jack. I’m not gonna shoot one takedown, and I’m gonna show him the meaning of Canelo hands. I’m gonna show the UFC fighters and the fans that I’m the best boxer in the UFC, in the welterweight division. Trust me, you guys wanna tune in, don’t miss it.”

But ‘Rocky’ does not care about any of this. The former champ is focused to beat Sean Brady and get to Muhammad to take his crown belt back.

Leon Edwards weighs in on a rematch with Belal Muhammad

UFC 304 was not just a simple loss for Leon Edwards. It was a grand downfall as ‘Bully B’ not only took away his 170lbs belt but manhandled the Englishman for the entirety of 5 rounds. However, the Englishman is resilient and is ready to rise again even if it means starting from scratch. The former champ is determined to live up to his moniker and show the world that he is as dangerous as ‘Rocky Balboa’. As a result, he wants to battle Muhammad again in the future. But for the time being, his focus is on his March 22 bout against an equally dangerous Sean Brady.

“I’d love to run it back with Belal. I feel like, it’s difficult to say who wins. Like I said, I prefer Belal, because like I said, he was the last guy to beat me, you know. And even though I had an off night, I feel like that’s what I need to get back, you know. I truly believe that I am the better fighter between me and him and [I want to] go out there and prove it again. But now I’m focusing on Sean Brady. Go out there in London and get rid of him.” Edwards conveyed this on his YouTube channel.

On the other hand, the #5 ranked contender is focused on forging his way to a title shot. The BJJ black belt noticed how Edwards had suffered under Muhammad’s relentless pressure and grappling at UFC 304. He shared his intentions and said in an interview with TNT Sports: “I think I’m going to choke out Leon Edwards in the O2 arena. I’d say second round or third round. If I had to give a prediction.”

Both the top-ranked 170lbs fighters are determined about their own goals. But who do you think will come out on top? Share your thoughts in the comments below!