Leon Edwards is lower than two weeks away from his subsequent massive title protection.

Headlining the promotion’s return to Manchester on Saturday, July 27, ‘Rocky’ will put his welterweight title on the road in a long-awaited conflict with the division’s top-ranked contender Belal Muhammad.

Kamaru Usman, the person Edwards took the title off of with the “kick heard around the globe” at UFC 278, provided his evaluation of the UFC 304 headliner, suggesting that it’s a tricky one to name contemplating each males have been on the shelf for a while.

Nevertheless, he does imagine {that a} win for ‘Rocky’ will assist push his former foe’s title up the coveted P4P rankings.

“I like Leon being a champion, I believe he undoubtedly has actual expertise however as a fan now, I’m pissed off as a fan as a result of this struggle ought to have occurred already,” Usman stated.

“It’s been such a very long time however I’m glad that we had been lastly about to get the struggle and for Leon to really go in there and show to folks that he’s excessive up on that pound-for-pound listing as a result of you already know, I acquired my reservations on the order of that listing” (h/t Bloody Elbow).

Leon Edwards’ is usually touted as the most effective fighters on the planet courtesy of his technical prowess that has dismantled a few of the largest names within the sport. Sadly, ‘Rocky’ hasn’t precisely lit up the Octagon along with his performances. Specifically, his trilogy struggle with the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ at UFC 286 and his uneventful showdown with Colby Covington final December.

Usman hopes to see the “killer” in Leon Edwards come out in opposition to Belal Muhammad when the champ competes in entrance of his residence nation at Co-op Dwell within the UK.

“I believe it’s a superb struggle, I just like the assured means in that Leon is carrying [himself], I believe he understands the duty of being a champion, the way you sort of have to coach the mentality that it’s a must to have,” Usman added. “Just a bit factor that I want to see from him is that killer come out as a result of if you already know that you just’re the highest canine, you bought to show it to each contender who needs your spot.”

Kamaru Usman shouldn’t be a fan of leon edwards and Belal Muhammad ready so lengthy to struggle

Whereas neither Leon Edwards nor Belal Muhammad has fought in 2024, ‘Bear in mind The Identify’ shall be returning after an particularly lengthy layoff, having final fought at UFC 288 all the way in which again in Might 2023. On that evening, Muhammad scored a giant win over Gilbert Burns, extending his unbeaten streak to 9 straight.

With the UFC selecting handy Covington one other unearned title alternative in December, Muhammad opted to take a seat out as an alternative of placing his spot on the road in opposition to one other top-10 contender. Some may contemplate {that a} good move, however Usman believes there are advantages to staying energetic within the struggle sport.

“The one factor that I don’t like about that is the layoff, the time that these guys are sitting [out],” Usman stated. “Because of this boxers are preventing each different month, they’re preventing [often] as a result of that’s the way you get into your groove, that’s the way you elevate your self to see if all of the stuff that you just’ve been engaged on can really work.

“When you may have these lengthy layoffs and also you get in there, your timing is just a little bit off, you’re just a little gun-shy generally, and particularly for those who’re a champion when you may have this lengthy layoff – that mountain of defending begins to get heavier, and heavier, and heavier.”