MANCHESTER, England (Diya TV) —
UFC 304 is in the books and with it, history has arrived in the main event. Belal Muhammad became the first Palestinian champion in UFC history on Saturday, snatching the welterweight belt from incumbent champion Leon Edwards. It had been a long time coming for Muhammad, who kept publicly vying for a shot at the title after a winning streak spanning over five years.
The first time Edwards and Muhammad met was in 2021 when Edwards was decisively winning the fight before an accidental eye poke rendered the bout a no contest. A few years later, Muhammad called his shot and kept confiding that he would win the belt off Edwards. On the night of UFC 304, he clearly looked as driven as he said he would be.
On the feet, Muhammad used his jab effectively, constantly keeping Edwards at bay and susceptible to level changes. His wrestling prowess also allowed him to complete takedowns with ease, picking Edwards up at times before slamming him down (at one point, headfirst) into the canvas. It was a dominant showing from a man who looked like he had been denied for far too long.
It’s a story of perseverance through doubt for Muhammad, but also a moment of reflection for Edwards. After being undefeated since 2016, the former welterweight champion now enters territory he hasn’t seen in a while. Up next for Edwards should be a title eliminator bout against one of the hungry contenders in the division (possibly the unbeaten Ian Garry or Australian fighter Jack Della Madallena once he returns from injury).
Muhammad took to the streets of Manchester after the fight to celebrate his win and show off his new belt. Fans lined the streets and surrounded Muhammad’s green car to congratulate him. If there were any more ways to describe a statement win, these scenes in Manchester do it perfectly.
Next up for Muhammad is expected to be a matchup against undefeated phenom Shavkat Rakhmonov, a bout in which the champ is the underdog in the opening odds. However, as we’ve learned through Saturday’s events, being the underdog is a spot that Muhammad thrives in.
