Leon Edwards comes clean about potential Belal Muhammad rematch ahead of Sean Brady fight at UFC London: "I had an off night"

Leon Edwards does not believe his UFC 304 loss to Belal Muhammad is indicative of his true skill level relative to his rival. In fact, in a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, he argued that the defeat was due largely to him having a poor day at the office and not because Muhammad was better than him.

Now, he is aiming for a rematch. However, in order to earn another crack at UFC gold, he must first overcome the streaking Sean Brady at UFC London on March 22. It marks Edwards' first fight since his loss to Muhammad, and he will be determined to emerge victorious.

"I'd love to run it back with Belal. It's difficult to see say he wins. Like I said, I probably prefer Belal, he was the last guy to defeat me. Even though I had an off night, I feel like that's one where I need to get back. I truly believe I am the better fighter between me and him."

Check out Leon Edwards calling for a rematch with Belal Muhammad (1:40):

Edwards' short-lived title reign as welterweight champion was part of a Cinderella story that saw him capture the belt against improbable odds. He took on all-tight great welterweight Kamaru Usman at UFC 278 at high altitude in Salt Lake City, Utah. In round one, he became the first fighter to take Usman down.

However, thereafter, Edwards was completely dominated by 'The Nigerian Nightmare.' In round five, though, in the dying moments, Edwards unleashed a head kick that knocked Usman out cold. In their UFC 286 rematch, the pair had a far more competitive bout, with Edwards winning via majority decision.

Unfortunately for him, his championship reign ended in lopsided fashion against Muhammad.

---

Revisiting Leon Edwards' first fight with Belal Muhammad

The first fight between Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad took place four years ago at UFC Fight Night 187. The first round went exceptionally well for Edwards, who outstruck Muhammad and seemed to be on the verge of a dominant win. However, round two ended in disastrous fashion.

Check out Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad 1 below:

Just 18 seconds into the round, Edwards poked Muhammad in the eye, rendering him unable to continue. Thus, the bout ended with a no-contest. While a rematch seemed like a sensible option, Edwards was dismissive of Muhammad, which ultimately sparked a rivalry between the pair.