It’s virtually unimaginable for opponents to keep away from one another throughout battle week, however Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad acquired a bit too shut for consolation forward of UFC 304.
Because the welterweights put together to battle in the primary occasion on Saturday, Muhammad was driving an elevator on the host lodge when the doorways opened and he discovered Edwards staring again at him. Moderately than ready for a special elevator, Edwards and his crew walked proper in, which led to the awkward interplay between Muhammad and his crew.
“I used to be going as much as flooring three, [the elevator] opened and he was standing proper there in entrance,” Edwards mentioned at UFC 304 media day. “I believe he thought in his head that I wouldn’t come into the raise so I walked straight into the raise and mentioned, ‘Press No. 3,’ and that was it.”
Whereas the scene might have turned ugly in a rush, Muhammad mentioned solely Edwards’ head coach Dave Lovell determined to jaw at him in the course of the shut quarters encounter.
“I simply heard a bit brief freaking midget screaming one thing, and I used to be like, ‘What the heck was that?’” Muhammad mentioned. “I noticed it ended up being his coach in entrance, however Leon and his crew didn’t say nothing.
“His brother [Fabian Edwards] was making an attempt to present me a grimy look, however he didn’t know I used to be sizing him up for after the cage, if he finally ends up hopping within the cage eager to do one thing.”
Edwards and Muhammad truly did find yourself exchanging phrases, however solely after each fighters exited the elevator. That’s when the actual chirping started.
UFC Embedded cameras truly captured the entire interplay as Edwards and his crew jumped within the elevator the place Muhammad and his squad had been already ready. Whereas there have been a couple of phrases exchanged, nothing acquired too heated till after everybody exited.
Edwards says he truly anticipated Muhammad to deal with him whereas they had been each caught within the elevator collectively, however the speaking didn’t begin till after they escaped the claustrophobic state of affairs.
“It was bizarre as a result of within the raise he was mad quiet, after which after the raise opened and everybody’s exterior, he’s like, ‘Oh p*ssy, blah, blah, blah.’” Edwards mentioned. “Like bro, why didn’t you say all this within the raise? I don’t know.”
So far as Muhammad sizing up his brother — Bellator middleweight Fabian Edwards — the reigning UFC welterweight champion solely cracked a smile and laughed.
“Oh God, that’s humorous,” Edwards mentioned.
Clearly nothing turned bodily, however Muhammad was truly extra impressed by Edwards’ coach than he was together with his opponent when it got here to hyping up the battle.
“I’d slightly have his coach speak,” Muhammad mentioned. “As a result of his coach was speaking trash [in the elevator], it might be a [funnier] build-up speaking with that little gremlin.”
