Leon Edwards did not compete in almost two years. Obviously, this was not the result he had hoped for on his return.
Edwards accidentally stabbed Belal Muhammad in the right eye during the first seconds of the second round on Saturday at the main UFC Fight Night event in Las Vegas. Muhammad immediately fell in pain and blood began to flow in his eyes.
The ring doctor entered the Octagon and shortly afterwards referee Herb Dean canceled the fight. The official result prevailed over non-competition because of the eyes, and the fight ended 18 seconds into the second round.
Edwards opted for a combination, starting with a kick and ending with his left hand. But he had his hand open to the blow and his fingers struck Muhammad’s right eye.
“I didn’t want to do that,” Edwards said in his post-fight interview. “I went to get the nod. He went in. I apologize. I prefer [have] a loss than that. I am heartbroken. I don’t know what to say. “
Edwards had not fought since July 20, 2019, a 19-month period. The dismissal was due to COVID-19 blockades, canceled events and he and his opponents tested positive for coronavirus. When he came out of the cage on Saturday, the incredibly unfortunate Edwards said he only had questions for his team.
“Now what?” Edwards said he asked them. “What do I do now? I focused on the next chapter to be world champion … It’s been a year and a half long. To get back to it, it’s like …”
Edwards looked fantastic in the first round. He threw a large head kick that opened a cut in Muhammad’s right ear. Edwards also got tough left hands and a combination of two. Muhammad’s best strike was an elbow off the hook against the cage.
After the blink of an eye, Muhammad was in pain and visibly emotional, clearly wanting to continue but unable to do so. His right eye was already swollen in the moments after the blow. Upon entering, ESPN had Edwards ranked No. 4 in the world in welterweight.
UFC president Dana White said this week that if Edwards beat Muhammad, he would be “100 percent” in the lineup for a title. This was supposed to be his chance to return to divisional relevance after the long dismissal.
UFC Fight Night took place with the current COVID-19 protocols at the UFC Apex, a facility located on the street of the corporate campus of the promotion.
Edwards (18-3, 1 NC) had won eight straight fights until Saturday. His only loss in seven years was against current welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in 2015. Edwards, a 29-year-old Jamaican wrestler from Birmingham, England, has victories over former lightweight champion Rafael Two Angels, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone and Vicente Luque.
“I’ve come a long way since the defeat of Kamaru Usman,” Edwards said. “I fought everyone. I chose to fight everyone. I think he deserves a title after all.”
Muhammad (18-3, 1 NC) won four. The Chicago native won a unanimous decision against Dhiego Lima just 28 days ago and took the fight three weeks in advance after Khamzat Chimaev, Edwards’ original opponent, withdrew due to long-term health complications of COVID-19.
Muhammad, 32, has only one defeat in his last ten fights. He later wrote on social media that his vision was returning and his eye was not permanently damaged. He wants revenge with Edwards.
“My heart is shattered, my first major event ended like this, but God, the best of planners, I feel for the fans and the UFC that you deserve a full fight.” Muhammad tweeted.