Leon Edwards had not experienced defeat in almost a decade when one of the worst nights of his life fell to Beral Muhammad in the fight that sacrificed the UFC welterweight title this July.
In the aftermath of that disappointing outcome, Edwards spoke little about the losses outside the struggles he was trying to face as he kicked off the night as the main event competed at a strange start time, around 5am, but he never lost his past losses, especially such a monumental battle.
“I’ll have this loss sit with me a bit and put the first thing I actually lost in (my head),” Edwards told MMA Fighting. “From there, I know it’s easy to put it completely on my best night, just as he won in three rounds, despite it being a defeat.
“There is clearly a loss, and it is upsetting, but I believe it is.
Edwards returns to action against Sean Brady this weekend, having the opportunity to redeem himself in another five-round main event, hoping that the victory will bring him back to title competition.
He moved from that defeat to Muhammad this July, but Edwards admits that the way it all went down always bothers him, simply because he knows he wasn’t performing at his best that night.
“I saw it when it first finished, I rewatched it,” Edwards said of the fight. “I hadn’t seen it.
“(Now) I’m focusing on becoming a two-time world champion.”
The rivalry that emerged from the two battles between Edwards and Muhammad dates back to their first encounter in 2021. That night, Edwards opened the fight in a dominant way, but he hurt his eyes so much that he damaged Muhammad’s vision, and he couldn’t keep going.
The fight was declared a no-contest and Edwards was eventually made the UFC champion, but Muhammad never forgot the unfinished business between them.
Just three years later, Muhammad finally succeeded his promise to defeat Edwards when he traveled to England and made the unanimous decision to claim a welterweight title. Since that night, Muhammad rarely misses a chance to remind Edwards about their rematch, and he even said he doesn’t believe the former champion will win his way for another title shot.
But unlike some of the true slutty things Colby Covington said to lead to his fight with Edwards in 2023, Muhammad never turned into a personal one. That’s why Edwards makes things professional in places where Muhammad is concerned, even if their personalities are undoubtedly clashing.
“He’s just a nuisance person,” Edwards said with a laugh. “He’s really annoying so he can see.
Edwards admits he stabbed a little more to drop the title on Muhammad, but in reality, he shows the night and laments his poorness, and no matter who opposes it, the loss will hurt.
“It was a beral (it was bad), but like I said, the loss is a loss,” Edwards said. “I honestly feel that is far better than my last fight.
“As I said, it is proven by my records and proves that I am focusing on the chapters that have come to this point.”
If everything goes well in UFC London, Edwards could undoubtedly compete for the title again while Muhammad prepares for a showdown with Jack Della Madarena in the main event at UFC 315 in May.
Edwards actually spent several weeks preparing his former opponent on the card, Della Madarena, on Saturday, before the Australian welterweight was pulled to face Muhammad.
The truth is said, Edwards actually slightly prefers Della Madarena in that title fight, but he does not deny that getting the opportunity to eventually regain the title from Muhammad means more to him.
“Bringing it back from the Beral definitely means more to me,” Edwards said. “I feel like he and Jack are being easily taken away.
“I don’t support you being honest.