“Obviously, the rankings are very important… but when there’s a fight people want to see, we’ll make it.” Those are UFC boss, Dana White‘s words from a long time ago. Now, how often does the UFC actually stick to the script? Fighters grind their way to the top, win big, and yet, matchmaking seems to follow a different playbook. Just ask Leon Edwards, who thought his next win would guarantee him a title shot, only to have Belal Muhammad shut that door before it even opened.
The drama unfolded when the former welterweight champion, spoke about his upcoming fight with Sean Brady at UFC London. Confident as ever, ‘Rocky’ claimed, “I spoke to the UFC, they told me that after this win, this is a No. 1 contender fight. Whoever wins this, fights for the title.” But the reigning champ wasn’t buying it. He took to social media with a sharp jab, laughing off Edwards’ belief in a quick return to the title picture, “Someone tell him he got three long years ahead of him.”
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Is Muhammad just throwing shade, or is there some truth to it? Well, history suggests he might have a point. Edwards and Muhammad have already crossed paths before, twice, to be exact. Their first encounter at UFC Fight Night 187 in 2021 ended in controversy when an accidental eye poke from Edwards forced a no-contest ruling. Since then, the tension between them has only grown. While Edwards went on to become champion, Muhammad kept grinding, picking off contenders at a slow but steady pace, one fight after another, because why rush when you’re winning? Now, with Muhammad reigning as the welterweight king and only taking on challengers at his own deliberate pace, Edwards might need to settle in for a long wait.
Now, let’s talk logistics. With Shavkat Rakhmonov out due to injury, Muhammad is set to defend his title against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315. If he wins, he could be looking at a showdown with ‘Nomad’ next. That leaves Edwards in an awkward spot. He may have been promised a title shot with a win over #5 contender. But with Belal running the division, will that promise hold any weight? And Belal Muhammad has been taking his time between fights, often competing just once a year, as seen in the past two years. So, when he threw out that “three years” comment, maybe he wasn’t just trolling. Maybe he was hinting at his own pace, one fight at a time, on his terms. If that pattern holds, Edwards might be stuck waiting a while. So where does that leave the former champion?
Is Leon Edwards’ road back to gold a rocky one?
Leon Edwards is no stranger to adversity. After all, he had to wait years before finally getting his title shot, and even then, he had to take down Kamaru Usman, twice, to solidify his reign. But now, coming off a title loss to Muhammad at UFC 304, he’s looking to prove he still belongs at the top.
But will Sean Brady let him? The reigning champ certainly doesn’t think so. “That’s a big one, right? That’s another name where you’re like, he (Brady) looked good his last two fights,” Muhammad said in a recent interview. “I think he has to go out there and put on a performance against Leon, and then we’ll also see where Leon is because Sean Brady isn’t an easy task. But I beat both of them, so whoever’s watching that fight, just know that the best man in the world has the belt because you’re going to be cheering for both of those guys, and I beat them all.”
For ‘Rocky’, this fight isn’t just about rankings. It’s about proving he still has what it takes to be champion again. A dominant win could keep him in the conversation, sure. But anything less might see him stuck on the sidelines as Muhammad continues to dictate the division’s future. While the #1 contender is battling for a title shot, Muhammad has his own mountain to climb. His upcoming fight with Della Maddalena at UFC 315 is no walk in the park. The Australian is on an impressive win streak and poses a unique challenge to the champ’s well-rounded game. If ‘Remember the Name’ successfully defends his belt, the next logical step would be Rakhmonov, assuming he recovers in time.
But if Muhammad keeps winning, will Edwards ever get his trilogy fight? The welterweight division is stacked, and time is not on Edwards’ side. With Muhammad fighting only once a year, it could be a long wait before their paths cross again. So, what do you think? Will Leon Edwards’ belief in a guaranteed title shot hold up? Or is Belal Muhammad right, does ‘Rocky’ have a long road ahead of him? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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