Leon Edwards is under a lot of pressure heading into the main event of Saturday’s UFC Vegas 21. Not only is Edwards, who is the No. 3 ranked fighter in the official UFC rankings, coming off a layoff of over 19 months, he could earn a shot at Kamaru Usman and his UFC crown. Edwards faces Belal Muhammad at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Edwards is riding the second longest active welterweight winning streak with eight straight victories. The only man with a longer undefeated run is Usman with 13 straight triumphs. Edwards most recent victory was his July 2019 win over former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos. Muhammad has won his past four fights and is coming off a February victory over Dhiego Lima. Muhammad is ranked No. 13 in the 170-pound weight class.
Edwards’ last four scheduled fights have been scratched because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Three of those cancellations have been bookings with Khamzat Chimaev, with the other against Tyron Woodley last March.
Muhammad stepped in to replace Chimaev days after his win over Lima.
UFC Vegas 21 takes place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 13. The entire event streams on ESPN+.
Before Edwards and Muhammad meet, here is a look at how the two compare in key stats.
UFC 259:Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad head-to-head stats
| Stat | Edwards | Muhammad |
|---|---|---|
| Stat | Edwards | Muhammad |
| Sig. Strikes Landed Per Min. | 2.53 | 4.86 |
| Striking Accuracy | 47% | 43% |
| Strikes Absorbed Per Minute | 2.05 | 4.03 |
| Striking Defense | 55% | 60% |
| Takedown Avg./15 min | 1.39 | 2.03 |
| Takedown Accuracy | 31% | 28% |
| Takedown Defense | 70% | 84% |
| Submission Average Per 15 min | 0.4 | 0.2 |
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