‘Count that eye-poke as a blessing’… Leon Edwards fires shots at Belal Muhammad ahead of UFC 304

With Leon Edwards vs Belal Muhammad just hours away, the trash talk has ramped up, with ‘Rocky’ claiming his success in the first fight was just a sign of things to come.

The pair of gifted welterweights are set to square off inside the 23,500-seater Co-op Live in a clash that has captured the imagination of fans across the UK.

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Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad engage in a heated war of words

In their first encounter back in 2021, during the first round, the Brit looked magnificent, connecting with lightning punches and kicks. Alas, at the start of the second segment, Edwards landed an accidental eye-poke, leaving Muhammad in no fit state to continue.

The unsatisfying end to the contest left a bitter taste in the mouths of both men. While the Birmingham striker believes he was moments away from finishing the bout, his rival is insistent that he was on course to overwhelm and ultimately drown the man who now holds the welterweight title.

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In the years since their fight, the ‘eye-poke narrative’ has rumbled on, with the fans desperate to see the pair settle their differences once and for all.

Now, they finally have the chance to set the record straight. And Edwards had no qualms in firing shots at his nemesis during the press conference, stressing that had it not been for the injury, he would’ve ended Muhammad in brutal fashion.

He told Sporf: ” Last time was round one; this time is round two. If it wasn’t for the eye poke, I’d have knocked him out in round two. Count that eye poke as a blessing.”

Enraged by his opponent’s comments, the American fired back: “Bro, we can’t understand what you’re saying. Say it with your chest. Why are you whispering over there?”

While the reality of what would’ve happened on that night in Las Vegas is currently shrouded in mystery, tonight, we’ll find out beyond doubt, who the best welterweight on the planet really is.

Featured Image Credit: Getty