MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) – Belal Muhammed beat Leon Edwards via unanimous decision to win the welterweight title at UFC 304 on Sunday while Tom Aspinall retained the interim heavyweight crown by knocking out Curtis Blaydes a minute into the first round of the co-main event.
American Muhammad, 36, enjoyed the better of the opening two rounds, using a wrestling-heavy attack to take Edwards to the mat and almost knocking Englishman Edwards out in the second by slamming him to the ground on his head.
Edwards took the third but Muhammad was back on top again in the fourth, controlling Edwards from behind with a body triangle for much of the round.
Edwards managed to land jabs and kicks but could not keep the fight on the feet long enough to do much damage and he was taken down again in the fifth round.
As the clock ticked down in the fifth and final round, Edwards landed a vicious elbow to cut Muhammad but there was not enough time left for him to find a finish.
All three judges awarded the fight to Muhammad, who dropped to his knees after the championship belt was placed around his waist by UFC President Dana White and shouted: “Doubt me now! Doubt me now!” as he left the cage.
Edwards said he had been feeling fatigued all week.
“I’m not surprised, my body just felt tired from round one, all week I’ve been feeling just tired … congrats to Belal, he got the job done,” he added.
(Reporting by Philip O’Connor; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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