Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad last fought three years ago, but given how both fighters have fared since then and their track records, it's hard to even consider that match-up ahead of a rematch.
The two will face off again this weekend at UFC 304, as Edwards looks to defend his welterweight title for the third time in the main event.
One metric that can be used in their first matchup is to see which player has improved the most since that point.
Those who predict a win for “Rocky” will point out that the difference is that Edwards has recently fought other top welterweights.
Anthony Smith believes Leon Edwards is an improved fighter ahead of his rematch with Belal Muhammad
Anthony Smith believes Edwards is the more improved of the two, given his success against higher level opponents.
Muhammad has defeated some top-tier contenders since his first bout with Edwards, with the Brit's recent wins over Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington being the most notable.
Not only did he raise his hand against both fighters, but he also managed to fend off their aggressive grappling approaches, which will surely be something Muhammad will use as part of his game plan in Manchester.
Smith said during ESPN MMA's event preview that his performance against two of the best wrestlers in the history of the 170-pound division gives the champion the edge.
“Probably Leon. I think he's had tough fights against stronger opponents. I don't want to discount the guys that Belal has beaten, but they're not at the level of Kamaru Usman. I think the Colby fight was a big one for Leon. It wasn't about how he won or what he was trying to prove, but his style is too much to handle for someone that many consider to be the greatest welterweight of all time, including Kamaru Usman.
“Colby was so unsure on his feet that he couldn't even get a shot off, which was something I'd never heard before. He didn't even have to defend the takedown because Colby was so good on his feet that he wasn't even going to try to get a shot off. I thought that was huge.”
Read also: UFC 304: Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad 2 weigh-in live stream and results
