![Leon Edwards vs Belal Muhammad. [via UFC]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/04/5da0d-17136042055077-1920.jpg)
![Leon Edwards vs Belal Muhammad. [via UFC]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Top-ranked welterweight contender Belal Muhammad recently expressed his frustration over being unable to land a title shot against champion Leon Edwards.
Muhammad has been in title contention for quite some time now but has not been able to run it back with Edwards yet, despite the champion defending his title twice. 'Remember the Name' went off on a rant in a recent interview with MiddleEasy and called out Edwards' entire team for dodging him.
"They’re like the fakest team I've ever seen in my life, I've never seen anybody lie so much or try to make it seem like they aren’t afraid. You had his brother call for a Conor McGregor fight. They're coming up with every other reason to try to avoid me. It's blatant. The fans are starting to see it now. You have his manager doing the same thing. You're the champion of the world. If you're the best fighter in the world, fight the best guy in the division that's right behind you."
Muhammad expounded on his own credentials and added that his "hatred" for 'Rocky' is growing, which he will use as fuel in their eventual rematch.
"I have the longest winning streak in the division. I'm the one beating all these guys. I know I'm the best in the world, and he knows I'm the best in the world. I hate his guts. The Leon fight, they're trying to avoid me. Him trying to act like downplaying my accomplishments and telling me I don't deserve it, I never earned it – that stuff does nothing but piss me off. It's fueling me with hatred for this guy, and I just can't wait to get in there and get my hands on him."
Check out Belal Muhammad's full comments below (4:04):
What happened in the first fight between Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad?
Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad first fought in 2021, a year before the former became the welterweight champion.
The two headlined UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Muhammad at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, but their bout ended in the second round in anti-climactic fashion. Edwards accidentally poked Muhammad in the eye, rendering the latter unable to continue. The fight was deemed a no-contest.
Check out Leon Edwards' eye poke on Belal Muhammad:
The no-contest snapped the winning streaks of both fighters, and their rematch has been an elusive affair ever since. Neither fighter has lost a fight since, and their personal rivalry continues to intensify outside the octagon.
