Morning Report: Leon Edwards coach says fighter was ‘30-40’ percent in title fight loss to Belal Muhammad

Leon Edwards misplaced the UFC welterweight title following a efficiency he and his staff wish to overlook.

The circumstances surrounding Edwards’ third title protection this previous July had been actually uncommon as he was preventing in his house nation of England at a UFC 304 pay-per-view that was scheduled to cater to North American followers. That meant Edwards and opponent Belal Muhammad (a local of Chicago) made their walkouts within the wee hours of the morning versus prime time within the night.

Muhammad went on to win a convincing choice, and take Edwards’ belt, a lot to the chagrin of his coach Dave Lovell. Nevertheless, Lovell’s concern isn’t with Muhammad, however relatively with the odd begin time that he feels left Edwards at far lower than his finest.

“It’s a bitter tablet to swallow, however I take nothing from Belal,” Lovell mentioned on The Ariel Helwani Present. “He gained his technique to this time like Leon did, so let him profit from it, honest play to him. But it surely’s a bitter tablet for me to swallow for the straightforward truth, how Leon misplaced it, the lackluster effort for no matter purpose. As a result of everyone knows that was, what, 30, 35, 40 % of Leon Edwards that evening?”

Previous to that loss, Edwards had gone undefeated in 13 straight contests, with the lone blemish throughout that stretch being a no-contest with Muhammad in March 2021. Muhammad was the sufferer of an unintended eye poke in that first assembly, so he gained a measure of revenge when he defeated Edwards three years later.

Although Lovell additionally pointed to a lingering again damage as having left Edwards extra restricted than normal, he’s not dwelling on the loss. Edwards fights Sean Brady in the primary occasion of UFC London this Saturday and Lovell is keen to maneuver on from UFC 304.

“It was actually a disappointing week for us,” Lovell mentioned. “Clearly, Leon’s first loss in how lengthy? And within the style, how he misplaced it. Yeah, it was upsetting throughout, however we’re within the combat sport and shit occurs.”

“There have been some main elements main as much as the combat, overlook the minor damage aside,” Lovell added. “In England, when have you ever ever heard of a sportsman performing 6:00 within the morning? It’s by no means been heard of earlier than and little doubt you’ll by no means hear of it once more. It was only a freaky second in time and Leon needed to take care of it. To lose to Belal within the style he misplaced to him, the world is aware of he’s lots higher than that. We all know. Most and foremost, he is aware of he’s higher than that.

“Yeah, it was a serious setback, however we’re on the street again to gold, what extra can I say to that?”

Two months after UFC London, Muhammad defends the welterweight title for the primary time when he meets Jack Della Maddalena in the primary occasion of UFC 315 on Could 10. Della Maddalena was initially scheduled to combat Edwards on Saturday, however was re-booked to problem Muhammad with No. 1 contender Shavkat Rakhmonov unavailable because of damage.

Was Lovell anticipating Edwards to probably get the decision as an alternative?

“It’s like, he’s simply held the title, he’s misplaced it, and possibly it’s going to be a bit uncommon for him to get the decision to combat again for the title straightaway,” Lovell mentioned. “It’s very uncommon you hear that occur.

“However why not? As a result of I do know he can beat Belal, he is aware of he can beat Belal, I feel Belal is aware of he can beat him. Belal caught Leon on a really, very low evening, and he got here out the winner and that’s the way in which it’s. There’s nothing you may say or do about that.”

For now, Edwards’ staff is concentrated absolutely on Brady, a fighter that brings a method they’re used to even when they’re considerably uninterested in it.

“We set a sport plan for Jack, however 4 weeks in, it modified to a different wrestler,” Lovell mentioned. “Not that Leon is, ‘Ah properly, it’s all that,’ Brady we all know is a wrestler. We all know what wrestlers do. He’s been in in opposition to one of the best, so it’s nearly saddling down and getting on with the job.”

“We all know the combat plan, we’ve set the combat plan and if it goes to how we’re engaged on it, taking a look at it, the sport plan we’ve set. Then I’m searching for a stoppage both early or late.”

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Belal Muhammad.

Marvin Vettori.

Get this man a combat.

Friendship.

Congrats to the Prepare household!

That is regarding.

It’s a protracted street again to the title for Leon Edwards, most definitely, and he takes his first steps with a tricky matchup in opposition to Sean Brady this Saturday. Win or lose, there aren’t any ensures for “Rocky,” however let’s see if his coach is correct about his fighter simply having an off-night final summer time.

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