Leon Edwards is committed to getting back on his feet after UFC 304.
That was the message former welterweight champion Edwards sent out after apologizing to fans following his loss to Belal Muhammad in the main event of UFC 304 on Monday. It was a tough night for Edwards, who ceded nine takedowns and more than 12 minutes of control to Muhammad, who won by unanimous decision and left Manchester as the new champion.
“To my fans, I'm sorry I didn't make it through this time,” Edwards wrote on Instagram. “I've been through tougher times in my life and I'll rise again. Thank you for all the love and support. I'll get my revenge in blood.”
The loss to Muhammad ended Edwards' 13-fight winning streak that stretched back to 2016, when he won the UFC welterweight title with a fifth-round knockout of Kamaru Usman and then defended the title twice, including a dominant win over Colby Covington in December.
Unfortunately, Edwards's impressive performance was thwarted by Muhammad, who entered the main event as a significant underdog but ultimately delivered on his promise by taking most of the fight in. Muhammad's game plan was constant pressure mixed with takedowns and seemed to confound Edwards in nearly every round of the bout.
Edwards' best moment came in the third round when he reversed a takedown by Muhammad and had him on his back for the majority of the five-minute session. Unfortunately, Edwards was unable to do much damage or threaten with submission attempts.
By the fifth round, Edwards had seen Muhammad get on his back in kind, wearing down the 32-year-old veteran throughout the 25-minute bout. Ultimately, Muhammad won handily to claim his first UFC title, while Edwards suffered his first defeat since his first bout with Usman eight years ago.
After the event, UFC CEO Dana White ruled out an immediate rematch, saying Edwards would like to fight at least one more time in 2024 and return in November or December in a post-fight interview.
