"What makes him different or more privileged?" - Leon Edwards explains why he isn't considering Belal Muhammad rematch for next title defense
UFC welterweight king Leon Edwards has shared his thoughts on potentially fighting Belal Muhammad in his next UFC outing.
After his victory at UFC 296, 'Rocky' made an appearance at the post-fight press conference. At one point, the Birmingham fighter was asked for his opinion on locking horns against Muhammad next.
Edwards said that there were options other than Muhammad, and explained that he doesn't necessarily consider 'Remember the Name' as the next opponent in line despite his long winning streak:
"There's definitely other options, you know. I don't feel like Belal should be next. I won 10 fights in a row and didn't get a title shot. So what makes him different or more privileged?"
Check out Edwards' comments from the 4:10 mark below:
Leon Edwards went up against Colby Covington in the main event of UFC 296, which took place on December 16 at the T-Mobile Arena. Muhammad had also weighed in as the backup for the main event but his services were not needed.
The fight was a one-sided affair, as Edwards outclassed his opponent for the majority of the fight. The contest went the 25-minute distance and 'Rocky' retained his title via unanimous decision. All three judges scored th contest 49-46 in favor of the 32-year-old.
What happened in the first fight between Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad?
Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad went toe-to-toe in a welterweight scrap in March 2021. The fight headlined the UFC Fight Night 187 event that was held at the UFC Apex facility in Paradise, Nevada.
Edwards appeared to give a good accont of himself in the first round. But unfortunately, the Birmingham fighter accidentally eye-poked Muhammad in the second round, rendering the 35-year-old unable to continue.
The fight was then declared a no contest.
Edwards is currently on a 13-fight undefeated streak that includes wins over names like Colby Covington, Kamaru Usman, Nate Diaz, Rafael dos Anjos, Donald Cerrone, and Vicente Luque.
Muhammad, on the other hand, is also having an impressive run in the UFC. 'Remember the Name' has remained undefeated in his last 10 octagon outings and has defeated fighters like Gilbert Burns, Sean Brady, Stephen Thompson and Demian Maia.
With his current streak, in addition to the fact that he was the backup fighter for UFC 296, Muhammad has a strong argument for being next in line for a shot at welterweight gold.