Belal Muhammad Dethrones Leon Edwards at UFC 304 in Manchester

American fighter Belal Muhammad stunned Britain's Leon Edwards with a commanding performance to seize the welterweight title at UFC 304 in Manchester.

Muhammad, 36, dominated the fight with superior grappling, earning a unanimous decision victory. This defeat broke the 32-year-old Edwards' impressive 12-fight win streak and subdued the crowd at the Co-op Live arena.

The win followed a controversial 2021 bout between the two, which ended in a no-contest due to an accidental eye poke by Edwards.

Scheduled to cater to an American audience, the fight took place just after 05:30 BST. Edwards admitted feeling "tired" during his post-fight interview, saying, "Not surprising, my body just felt tired from round one. All week I've felt tired. Congratulations to Belal, we will be back."

Featuring two Britons in title fights, the event was the largest UFC show on English soil and the first held at the 23,500-capacity arena since its opening in May. The unusual start time of 23:00 BST was a focal point, with many fighters, including Edwards, adjusting their body clocks on the advice of the UFC's Performance Institute.

The crowd's energy peaked at 04:30 BST with a performance by Paddy Pimblett, but it dwindled following Edwards' defeat. The previous bout in 2021 between Edwards and Muhammad had created lingering hostility, with Muhammad expressing strong dislike for Edwards and accusing him of avoiding a rematch.

Muhammad, unbeaten in 10 fights leading up to the bout, embraced his role as the villain, playfully engaging with fans who booed him, especially mocking England's Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain. The boos intensified during his walkout, but Muhammad remained unfazed, dancing and joking with his team.

Edwards, the longest-reigning titleholder in the UFC at the time, appeared focused as he entered the octagon, but Muhammad quickly disrupted the atmosphere by securing an early takedown. Despite Edwards' previous success defending against top wrestlers, Muhammad posed unique challenges, out-grappling him throughout the first round.

Muhammad maintained his advantage, effectively mixing jabs and takedowns, while the crowd's chants of "Rocky" failed to rally Edwards. In the third round, Edwards managed a takedown and attempted a rear-naked choke, but Muhammad defended well and regained control in the fourth round, keeping Edwards against the cage and landing another takedown.

As the final round approached, the crowd urged Edwards to replicate his 2022 comeback against Usman, but Muhammad secured another takedown, dominating on the ground and sealing his victory. Fans began to leave, realizing Edwards was headed for defeat.

Muhammad celebrated, saying, "It sounds like all of the people booing have got a lot of tears coming out of their eyes. I've got my family in here. God first, always. This fight is for my family, my people, and for Palestine."

He continued, "I got the best team in the world, we study to the core, we get better. We've got the best strikers, these guys are killers. You might not know their names, but we've got a real champion in Chicago now. I'm Belal Muhammad. I'm my own man. Now the world sees it, they've got to respect it."

Edwards, who faced his first defeat since losing to Kamaru Usman in 2015, hinted at a quick return to the octagon, saying, "One more this year, November or December I'm ready to go."