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TMZSports.com
Belal Muhammad is set to take part in his first title match as a member of the UFC … and the No. 2-ranked welterweight tells TMZ Sports he’s ready to play spoiler for the hometown fighter, Leon Edwards.
The 36-year-old Muhammad spoke with us just days before he makes the walk in the biggest fight of his UFC career at UFC 304 in London … and while it took longer than he thought it would, he’s excited the moment has finally arrived.
“This is the fight I’ve been waiting for the last three years,” Muhammad said. “To get this rematch, to get this title shot, it’s taken forever, but it’s all worth it. The long road, the long wait. I think that once I get to fight night, I’m gonna know the reasons why I had to wait.”
This matchup won’t mark the first time these two have squared off. They initially met back in March 2021, but the fight was deemed a no-contest after an Edwards eye poke left Muhammad unable to continue. Muhammad said he didn’t take much from that scrap … as the circumstances surrounding it was very different than Saturday’s matchup.
Even though Belal is no stranger to the boos … he is still set to take on Edwards in his native country, but he said he’s prepared to embrace what the fans throw his way.
“For me, I’ve always enjoyed old wrestling guys, the bad guys all the time,” he said. “I think it’s gonna be that much sweeter when I go out there, win the belt, beat their hometown guy as I was getting booed the whole time.”
When asked if he had a message for the champ … Belal kept it short and sweet.
“No more running, boy,” he said. “There’s nothing else left to be said. Saturday night I’m gonna put these hands on you.”
It all goes down in a couple of hours!!!