"I'm taking it all out on Belal Muhammad's face" - Leon Edwards says he's going to take frustration due to inactivity out on UFC Vegas 21 opponent
UFC welterweight Leon Edwards is ready to take his frustration out on Belal Muhammad after almost two years of inactivity.
The Birmingham native is set to step back into the octagon on Saturday night when he locks horns with Muhammad, with the expectation being that he will take a huge step towards a title shot if he’s able to secure a convincing win.
At 18-3 with an eight-fight win streak, it’s clear to see that Edwards is on a fantastic run of form. However, with his last fight being a victory over Rafael dos Anjos way back in July 2019, many wonder whether ring rust could play a factor here.
Edwards' confidence shines through
Edwards has been scheduled to get back into the cage against Tyron Woodley and Khamzat Chimaev on a handful of separate occasions, but all the meetings were postponed because of COVID-19. Now, as the uncertainty surrounding his future grows, Leon has told RT Sport of how he plans to make a statement this weekend.
“You’re gonna see a new, improved Leon Edwards. I’m gonna take it all out on Belal’s head. The last year and a half is all coming down on his head. It’s gonna be an entertaining fight.”
Edwards has every reason to feel frustrated but in equal measure, Muhammad has a golden opportunity ahead of him in Las Vegas. A win here would likely vault him up into the top five of the division which, just a few months ago, would’ve seemed like a fairly unlikely outcome.
Whichever way you look at it, this is going to be great for the welterweight division. If Leon Edwards wins, then we have a bonafide contender as we all know he had the potential to be, and if it’s Belal's hands raised, then a fighter has stepped up on short notice and made a name for himself - which is what UFC president Dana White always says he loves to see.
Kamaru Usman will watch closely when these two men square off, but there are plenty of others in the top 15 who will also have a keen interest in seeing how it all goes down.