Edwards rips Muhammad's wrestling ahead of UFC 304: 'He's Belal'

UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards took a shot at Belal Muhammad's fighting style Wednesday ahead of their title bout at UFC 304 on Saturday.

"Everyone knows his game plan will be to come out and try wrestling," Edwards said, according to Championship Rounds. "But even his wrestling ain't all that really. He ain't a f-----g Khabib (Nurmagomedov) or (Georges St-Pierre). He's Belal."

Edwards added that Muhammad "might try" to stand and strike with him for more than a few minutes, per Oscar Willis of The Mac Life.

Muhammad - an all-around fighter with a wrestling background - is unbeaten in his last 10 fights. The No. 2 UFC welterweight's most recent victory dates back to May 2023, when he won a unanimous decision over Gilbert Burns.

Edwards - who hasn't lost since 2015 - defeated Colby Covington by unanimous decision at UFC 296 in December to defend his welterweight belt. Muhammad called the fight between Edwards and Covington "a joke to the division" at the time.

Edwards said Wednesday that Muhammad isn't an intimidating person.

"Let's say we're on the street, and I saw Belal Muhammad. I wouldn't be afraid of him one bit," he added.

Edwards and Muhammad fought in March 2021, but the bout ended in a no-contest after Muhammad was accidentally poked in the eye. Their rematch in Manchester on Saturday will mark just the fourth matchup in UFC history featuring fighters on an unbeaten streak of 10-plus fights, notes Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie.

Muhammad and Edwards ran into each other in an elevator this week, and the former said Tuesday that the reigning welterweight champ was "afraid."

"He looked like he was afraid," Muhammad said, according to Simon Samano of MMA Junkie. "Him and his brother and his coach, they all looked like cowards. His coach was trying to talk a little bit of trash, so I'm hoping that his coach is at the press conference because I know Leon's not gonna be able to talk."