"I would rather have lost than that" - Leon Edwards reacts to eye poke against Belal Muhammad at UFC Vegas 21

Leon Edwards finally returned to the Octagon against Belal Muhammad in the middleweight headliner at UFC Vegas 21. A highly anticipated contest, this bout bore great significance to the future of welterweight division.

However, UFC fans were in for yet another disappointment as the fight was ruled a no contest after an accidental eye poke from Leon Edwards in the second round left Belal Muhammad unable to continue. This made it the second fight to be ruled a no contest in the main card at UFC Vegas 21. Previously, the opening bout in the main card had resulted in a no contest after Eryk Anders landed an illegal knee on Darren Stewart.

"I'm just heartbroken. I don't know what to say." #UFCVegas21 pic.twitter.com/zQyI8Qxxdu
— UFC (@ufc) March 14, 2021

Leon Edwards apologised to Belal Muhammad in the post fight interview and also claimed that he would have been better off with a loss. Edwards said in the post fight interview:

I apologize to Belal, I didn't mean to do it. I went for the cross head kick, he stepped into it, and I really apologize. I would rather have lost than that. I'm just heartbroken, I don't know what to say

'Rocky' was riding a 8-fight win streak going into the contest which is also the second longest in the division, only next to the 13-fight win streak of champion Kamaru Usman. Belal 'Remember The Name' Muhammad, meanwhile, was on a 4 fight win streak of his own and had accepted the bout within 5 days of his victory against Dhiego Lima at UFC 257.

Leon Edwards had started off well

After 20 months out of the Octagon due to no fault of his own, Leon Edwards was looking to make a statement in his return against Belal Muhammad. Though Edwards will be disappointed with the result, he had certainly started off with a bang.

Main event ends in a no contest, due to Belal Muhammad not being able to continue after an accidental eye poke in the second round. Belal clearly in pain, and upset fight is being called. Hope he's OK. Obviously, awful development for Leon Edwards.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) March 14, 2021

Leon Edwards rocked Belal Muhammad with a head kick early on and went on to connect clean on multiple exchanges. However, Edwards was warned for the first time as he accidentally eye poked Muhammad later in the round. Belal Muhammad managed to survive the round only to be eye poked again at 18 seconds of the second round which rendered him unable to continue.