In a disappointing turn of events, Leon Edwards, the former welterweight champion, faced a tough defeat against Belal Muhammad at UFC 304. Edwards (24-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) expressed his struggle with adjusting to the unusual timing of the title defense, which ultimately affected his performance in the octagon.

The fight took place at Co-op Live in Manchester, England, and Edwards was unable to retain his title as Muhammad (22-4 MMA, 14-3 UFC) emerged victorious with a unanimous decision. UFC stats revealed that Edwards was taken down early in the fight, endured a spike on his head in the second round, and spent over 12 minutes under Muhammad's control throughout the match.

Throughout the five rounds, Edwards failed to mount a significant threat or deliver a finishing move. In his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier, Edwards revealed that the early morning start time of approximately 5:37 a.m. local time made it challenging for him to gain momentum during the bout.

Expressing his exhaustion, Edwards stated, "My body just felt tired from Round 1. All week, I've been feeling just tired from the timing. But congrats to Belal. He got the job done and we'll get it back again."

Despite the setback, Edwards is determined not to dwell on the loss for long. He expressed his desire to return to the octagon later this year, aiming for another fight in either November or December. However, it remains uncertain who his next opponent will be as UFC CEO Dana White stated that Edwards would not receive an immediate rematch with Muhammad.

"I would like to get one more this year. So whenever - November or December - I'm ready to go. One more this year. I'm ready to go," Edwards confidently asserted.

As Edwards looks forward to his comeback, fans are eagerly anticipating his next move. Stay tuned for updates on his journey and future fight announcements.

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