The first time Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad met in the octagon, it ended in disaster. The two welterweight stars first fought at the top of a Fight Night card in 2021. With a mostly unremarkable first round out of the way, the second round started with both men tentatively measuring each other up. However, barely twenty seconds into the second, Muhammad caught a purportedly accidental eye poke from ‘Rocky’. Unable to see, Muhammad told the referee he couldn’t continue fighting and the fight was called off.

The aborted bout was ruled a no-contest and a clash between arguably the best striker and the best grappler in the division was scuttled to everyone, especially fans’ chagrin. It is therefore fitting that the duo meet again in the octagon, but this time for Edwards’ welterweight title. Ahead of their UFC 304 rematch on July 27, we take a look at how both men stack up against each other.

‘Rocky’ and ‘Bully B’s Record: A Comparison

All things considered, Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad have very similar professional records. While that may not be true for their size, their career stats have negligible differences. So much so that it would be very difficult for even the most hardcore fans to guess which fighter is which based purely on their records. While Muhammad made his pro-MMA debut in 2011, a year earlier than Edwards, he joined the UFC two years later than Edwards in 2016.

‘Bully B’s overall record currently stands at 23-3-0, and the American was undefeated coming into the Dana White-led promotion. Muhammad’s first outing in the UFC octagon eight years ago was a letdown. His UFC debut handed the Chicago native his first professional loss! However, he rallied back strong so that, of his eighteen fights in the UFC, he has lost only 3, and won 14 (with one no-contest).

Edwards isn’t far behind either. The Englishman’s overall professional record stands at an identical 22-3-0. Like Muhammad, his first loss in the UFC came on his promotional debut. In the UFC, he has 14 wins so far with only 2 losses. While their UFC wins may be the same, and Edwards may edge out ‘Bully B’ in the loss department marginally, that will not be the case after Saturday night. Muhammad, of course, will desperately try to add another ‘L’ on ‘Rocky’s record on July 27, who will, needless to say, look to do the same.

Muhammad last lost a fight in 2019 and is currently on a 10-fight-undefeated streak (with one no-contest against Edwards to break the win streak). Edwards’ record has been unblemished for his past 13 fights, with the one no-contest in 2021.

The theme of similarity continues in how their wins have come about in the UFC, with Edwards having 10 decision wins to Muhammad’s 11. Similarly, Edwards has only 3 KO/TKO finishes, and Muhammad has even less at 2 knockout wins, with one submission win apiece. Now let us take a look at who has the size advantage between ‘Rocky’ and ‘Bully B’.

Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad’s age, reach, height, and weight difference

There is not much separating Belal Muhammad and Leon Edwards, as far as their record is concerned, that is. The same cannot be said of their size. ‘Rocky’, measuring 6’2″ to Muhammad’s 5’11” frame, is taller by at least a fist than the American. But what of their reach? Well, not too much of a difference there. As with their heights, Edwards, with his 74-inch reach has an advantage over ‘Bully B’s 72 inches, but the difference is not as pronounced here.

Given that they fight at the same weight class, their natural weights are also quite close to each other. Both UFC stars have to make the 170-pound welterweight limit for a fight, but their walk-around weights are significantly higher! When not cutting weight for their fights, both weigh north of 190 pounds, with Muhammad being perhaps a touch heavier.

The one aspect where they differ the most, however, is their age. Muhammad is 36 years old. This, of course, makes him four years older than the 32-year-old Englishman. As far as the size goes, clearly neither man has any notable advantage over the other. Their fighting styles, on the other hand, are as different as chalk and cheese. Now all that remains is to see them duke it out tonight. What are your predictions for UFC 304? Let us know in the comments section below.