UFC 304 – Belal Muhammad dethrones Leon Edwards after Aspinall’s first-round win – As it happened

It has been good and bad from our home fighter’s perspective. Great first-round demolition jobs from Tom Aspinall and Paddy Pimblett, but disappointment in the main event as Leon Edwards was defeated.

“I’m now GSP, I’m no Khabib, I’m Belal Muhammad,” the new champion said on TNT Sports.

“I’m my own world. Now the world knows, they’ve seen it, they’ve got to start respecting it.”

The Palestine fighter takes the contest 48-47 (twice) and 49-46 to become the new UFC champion.

Muhammad gets Edwards down again and controls the rest of the round. The crowd didn’t like it, but it was effective. However, with a minute to go, Edwards reversed the hold and landed vicious elbows exploding Muhammad’s nose which may have seen him take the round. Surely Muhammad takes the title, Edwards may have just needed a few seconds more.

Edwards landed a big left hook but Muhammad was relentless landing far more until he took position on the Birmingham fighter’s back and he locked in a body triangle midway through the round, landing blows on the groggy looking champion. Edwards reversed the hold in the last thirty seconds but not enough to avoid losing the round. He needs a stoppage in the last to hold onto his title.

Muhammad began in control again closing the distance and landing hooks but Edwards got a takedown and locked in a body triangle which he kept for the last three minutes of the round. One round back for Edwards.

Muhammad continued to dominate taking Edwards down three more times, the second time seeing the champion landing on his head and he looked a weary figure holding on for most of the round before reversing a hold and taking down Muhammad in the closing moments.

A takedown for Muhammad in the first thirty seconds of the round. Edwards has attacked the body but Muhammad has landed jabs upstairs. An uppercut from Edwards got Muhammad’s attention, but a left uppercut wobbled the champion and he was then taken to the mat again.

Edwards has not lost for nine years, can Muhammad change this tonight.

“Before it was a freak accident, but it had to be put to bed,” Aspinall said on TNT Sports, referring to his defeat to Blaydes two years ago.

“I’m the best finisher in the UFC.

“Who wants to see Aspinall against Jon Jones.

“I’ve got nothing against you personally, but I think I’m better than you.

“I’m just a normal person. Sometimes normal people can do extraordinary things.”

His power is extraordinary. A left jab was enough to put Blaydes down and then on the American’s back he pounded with left and right hands before the referee jumped in with a minute on the clock.

Aspinall (14-3) defends against #4 Blaydes (18-4, 1 NC).

Curtis Blaydes the only man to hold a stoppage win over Tom Aspinall. Albeit when the St Helens fighter collapses with an ACL injury.

When asked who he wanted to fight next, Pimblett named #10 lightweight Renato Moicano.

“I’m the first person to submit Bobby in the UFC,” Pimblett said on TNT Sports. “That’s to all you haters out there who would say I’d never get a ranking.

What a performance from Paddy the Baddy! It started with calf kicks and then given the opportunity after one brutal kick, he brought Green to the mat and locked in guillotine, which eventually turned into an arm bar and with Green unconscious from the triangle choke, the referee called the fight off.

Robocop takes the fight 30-27 on all three scorecards.

Rodrigues’ shots are brutal and Duncan has done well to take them without wilting, as welts accumulate on his head. Rodrigues brought Duncan down twice but the Brit’s defensive game against the jiu jitsu specialist was impressive. Both end the bout covered in blood.

A dominant display from Rodrigues. Dominating the stand up with vicious rights, leaving Duncan with blood across his nose. He is also in charge when the pair grapple and he took down CLD in the closing stages. The Brit needs a stoppage in the last.

Rodrigues gets some early shots in and takes down Duncan midway through the round and pounded with elbows and right hands which has left a lump on CLD’s shaven head. A clear round for Rodrigues.

A middleweight contest between Brit Christian Leroy Duncan and Gregory Rodrigues of Brazil.

He takes the fight 29-28 on all three cards, Chikadze won the opening round but Allen the last two.

You wonder how much Allen pressing the third round will help on a round where neither landed a great deal. The fight stats are very close. Chikadze landed a good kick and a knee lift while Allen hit the target with a few left hands but not a conclusive round at tall.

The Georgian began better but Allen grew into the round and caught Chikadze with a big left hand a minute from the end of the round, showing how he now has less fear. Chikadze is bleeding from nose and mouth it seems.

Chikadze the busier man early with his quicker kicks and right hands on the back foot. Allen landed a nice left in the last 30 seconds and needs more of that.

Chikadze is the 10th-ranked featherweight, Allen is #6.

Wood takes the fight 29-27 (twice) and 29-28 on the three cards.

The third round slowed round with grappling on the floor which suited Pineda just fine but surely the fight is Wood’s.

Wood opens with a hellacious shot on Pineda’s eye which looks like it might have damaged the socket – Pineda keeps dabbing it, but still launching big hooks when he gets the chance. Pineda gets a break from a groin kick but is then hurt by consecutive calf kicks and put down with a jab. A huge left hook on the damaged right eye puts Pineda down again but once more Wood engages on the floor allowing Pineda to see the round out.

Wood puts Pineda down with a brutal kick to the stomach and then lands a couple of shots before Pineda grabs him in close on the ground to get a little restbite. Pineda ends the round with a few tomahawk shots to the head of Wood but the latter still wins the round.

Brasil wins by scores of 30-27 and 29-28 (twice).

McCann starts very well landing elbows and big right hands and, though Brasil responds with a takedown, she for a moment looks like she might lock in a chokehold as she wraps herself around the Brazilian’s back before the buzzer sounds.

McCann turns things around a bit, taking down her opponent but later Brasil has her on her back and in a precarious position. In the final seconds she is put down with a flush right hand and that is likely to see Brasil edge the second.

McCann in the wars. She got a shot in the groin area and a big lump has opened on her forehead. She is also put down with a kick to the stomach. An uphill task from here.

The ‘Meatball’ takes on Bruna Brasil in a strawweight contest.

He takes the fight 30-27 (twice) and 29-28.

Hadley again winning the fight on the back foot with his superior striking and with his fine takedown defence. Both fighters raise their arms in triumph but surely this was Hadley’s fight.

Hadley again landing more. One eye-catching left-handed strike came as he was caught “in the pills” by Loughran and he took 90 seconds of a possible five minutes break. Hadley’s strikes have caused swelling under Loughran’s left eye. Loughran tries a take down but Hadley shows fine defence. Loughran ends the round on top on the mat, getting in some ground and pound before the buzzer.

Hadley is the more relaxed fighter and landing leg kicks and left-handed strikes. Loughran stalks Hadley and lands a few body blows but certainly Hadley’s round.

The bantamweight contest between Jake Hadley (10-3) takes on Caolan Loughran (9-1).

He may need to put in a better performance to get a UFC Flyweight shot but it is hard to argue with 13-0.

29-28 (twice) and 30-27 for the British fighter.

Again there was little ation early in the round, Mokaev got a takedown but took a number of elbows from Kape while on the floor. Kape lands a couple of good left hands in the final seconds. A strange fight. A bit disappointing after the preamble.

Kape is a little hampered by an injured toe and Mokaev took him down but was then warned for grabbing his opponent’s shorts and received the sternest of warnings from the referee without a point being deducted. Kape caught a thumb in the eye but with the referee not calling a break Mokaev charged at him. Another tough round to score.

The pair race towards each other with Mokaev narrowly missing a kick. Then they get back to their fighting stance and barely touch each other for the first three minutes as both are cagey. Not much landed but in the final seconds the most damaging strike of the round came from Kape.

Surely they can wait for Bruce Buffer to get things going…

Britain’s Muhammed Mokoev (12-0) takees on Manel Kape (19-6).

Thanks for joining us as we follow all the action from the prelims at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester!

Live coverage from the Co-op Live arena in Manchester begins at 03:00 UK time on Sunday, July 28 on TNT Sports 1 and discovery+.

The prelims start at 01:00 on Sunday, July 28, with the main card following at 03:00. The early prelims, which can be watched on UFC Fight Pass, start at 23:15 UK time on Saturday night.

• Leon Edwards v Belal Muhammad
• Tom Aspinall v Curtis Blaydes
• Bobby Green v Paddy Pimblett
• Christian Leroy Duncan v Gregory Rodrigues
• Arnold Allen v Giga Chikadze

• Nathaniel Wood v Daniel Pineda
• Molly McCann v Bruna Brasil
• Caolan Loughran v Ramon Taveras
• Muhammad Mokaev v Manel Kape
• Mick Parkin v Lukasz Brzeski

• Oban Elliot v Preston Parsons
• Sam Patterson v Kiefer Crosbie
• Shauna Bannon v Ravena Oliveira
• Modestas Bukauskas v Marcin Prachnio

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