UFC returns to Manchester on Saturday, July 27, with two UK champions defending their belts. UFC 304: EDWARDS vs MUHAMMAD 2 is the first sporting event at Manchester’s Co-op Live, as welterweight champion Leon Edwards headlines against long-time rival Belal Muhammad in a highly anticipated rematch. The co-main event sees interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall go up against no.4 ranked Curtis Blaydes two years on from their first encounter.
UFC 304: EDWARDS vs MUHAMMAD 2 tickets go on sale from 10 a.m. BST on Friday, June 7 via Ticketmaster. Fight Club members can purchase tickets early at 9 a.m. BST on Wednesday, June 5, whilst fans who register their early interest will gain priority access at 10 a.m. BST Thursday, June 6.
Reigning welterweight champion Leon Edwards (22-3, fighting out of Birmingham, United Kingdom by way of Kingston, Jamaica) will once again defend his title on home turf after defeating Kamaru Usman in London in March 2023. Edwards is undefeated in his last 13 bouts (12-0-0, 1NC), including a dominant title defence over Colby Covington in December.
Belal Muhammad (23-3, fighting out of Chicago, United States) has risen to the top of the welterweight rankings, having remained undefeated for the past five years, and he looks to continue his impressive five bout win streak. This will be his 19th UFC appearance, with his most recent being an impressive decision victory over Gilbert Burns in May 2023. Known for his immense cardio and constant pressure, Muhammad holds five wins by knockout and one via submission.
Manchester’s own Tom Aspinall (14-3, fighting out of Salford, England) is one of the most exciting athletes on the UFC roster, securing every victory by finish, including a first-round knockout of Sergei Pavlovich to claim the interim heavyweight title in November 2023. Aspinall’s lone UFC loss was via injury against Blaydes in London in July 2022 and the Mancunian will be looking to level the score in front of a home crowd for his first title defence.
Curtis Blaydes (18-4-0, fighting out of Naperville, United States) is known for his dominant fighting style, with 13 knockout victories under his belt. In March, he stopped Jailton Almeida in his tracks and made it 13 wins in his last 17 bouts. Blaydes holds wins over Alistair Overeem, Aleksei Oleinik and Junior Dos Santos.
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