Belal Muhammad replaces Khamzat Chimaev, faces Leon Edwards

UFC welterweight Belal Muhammad being interviewed following a win.

Fresh off his impressive win over Dhiego Lima at UFC 258, Belal Muhammad has stepped up for the biggest opportunity of his career.

Muhammad is set to face Leon Edwards in a March 13 main event at the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas. Muhammad is replacing Khamzat Chimaev, who withdrew from the event due to effects stemming from his December COVID-19 diagnosis.

The anticipated Edwards-Chimaev matchup had initially been scheduled for January but the same lingering health issues resulted in Chimaev pulling out of that event also.

Muhammad (18-3) is the No. 13-ranked welterweight contender having won eight of his past nine fights.

Edwards also has an 18-3 pro MMA record but he has faced tougher UFC competition than Muhammad. The Birmingham, England native hasn’t fought since beating Rafael dos Anjos in July 2019 yet he remains the No. 3-ranked contender at 170 pounds. Edwards’s most recent loss was a unanimous decision to current champion Kamaru Usman back in 2015.

When submitting content, please abide by our  submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.
We use cookies to improve your experience. Learn More or change your cookie preferences. By continuing to use this site, you agree to the use of cookies.
close