UFC 304 predictions — Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad 2: Fight card, odds, preview, expert picks, prelims

The UFC returns to England on Saturday for UFC 304. The cardboard is headlined by a pair of championship matches that includes among the most proficient males within the sport, together with welterweight champion Leon Edwards defending his title in opposition to Belal Muhammad in the primary occasion.

Edwards has risen to prominence at 170 kilos thanks largely to the pinnacle kick heard world wide. Edwards, who waited a prolonged time to lastly get his crack on the welterweight title in opposition to Kamaru Usman, was down huge on the scorecards within the closing spherical of their 2022 conflict. Then, Edwards landed a picture-perfect headkick that knocked Usman out chilly to assert the title. Edwards went on to win their rematch in 2023 by choice and carries a 13-fight unbeaten streak into the rematch with Muhammad. The 2 initially met in 2021 when an inadvertent eye poke by Edwards left Muhammad unable to proceed, resulting in a no contest. Now, Muhammad seems to be to get his revenge after profitable 5 in a row since that assembly.

The co-main occasion is one other rematch of a combat that ended prematurely. Tom Aspinall will defend his interim heavyweight championship in opposition to Curtis Blaydes. The primary assembly solely lasted 15 seconds, ending when Aspinall landed a leg kick however suffered a knee harm as he returned his foot to the ground.

The most important combat on the undercard sees one other British star again in motion when Paddy Pimblett takes on Bobby “King” Inexperienced at light-weight. Pimblett, the brash former champion for Cage Warriors, has had first rate success thus far in his early UFC profession. The lone blemish was nonetheless scored a unanimous choice win over Jared Gordon regardless of many believing he misplaced the bout. He will get a stern take a look at within the veteran Inexperienced, who has had a profession resurgence at age 37, profitable three of his final 4 appearances. 

With a lot taking place on Saturday night time, let’s take a more in-depth have a look at the total combat card with the newest odds earlier than we get to our workers predictions and picks for the PPV portion of the festivities.

UFC 304 combat card, odds

• Leon Edwards (c) -260 vs. Belal Muhammad +210, welterweight title
• Tom Aspinall (ic) -370 vs. Curtis Blaydes +290, interim heavyweight title
• King Inexperienced -120 vs. Paddy Pimblett +100, lightweights
• Christian Leroy Duncan -150 vs. Gregory Rodrigues +125, middleweights
• Arnold Allen -250 vs. Giga Chikadze +20, featherweights
• Nathaniel Wooden -425 vs. Daniel Pineda +330, featherweights
• Molly McCann -360 vs. Bruna Brasil +280, girls’s strawweights
• Caolan Loughran vs. Jake Hadley, bantamweights
• Modestas Bukauskas -160 vs. Marcin Prachnio +135, gentle heavyweights
• Preston Parsons -140 vs. Oban Elliott +120, welterweights
• Muhammad Mokaev -140 vs. Manel Kape +120, flyweights
• Sam Patterson -350 vs. Kiefer Crosbie +275, welterweights
• Mick Parkin -280 vs. Lukasz Brzeski +230, heavyweights
• Shauna Bannon -180 vs. Alice Ardelean +155, girls’s strawweights

With such a large principal occasion on faucet, the crew at CBS Sports activities went forward with predictions and picks for the primary card. Listed below are your decide makers: Brent Brookhouse (Fight sports activities author), Brian Campbell (Fight sports activities author), Shakiel Mahjouri (author), Michael Mormile (producer) and Brandon Clever (senior editor).

UFC 304 picks, predictions

Edwards vs. Muhammad

Campbell: For no matter he lacks in identify recognition, Muhammad greater than makes up for in intangibles. He has supreme cardio, a greater grappling sport than Edwards and a deep effectively of confidence inside himself that has been painstakingly cultivated by way of years of being missed on the elite degree. Make no mistake, this might be an in depth combat that can very possible go the space. However so long as he can stop Muhammad from controlling him on the bottom — in the identical method he was profitable in opposition to Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington over his previous few fights — that is nonetheless Edwards’ combat to win. The benefit in pace, athleticism and explosiveness that Edwards holds over Muhammad needs to be sufficient regardless of the seeming inevitability that this combat finally ends up being shut and aggressive.  

Brookhouse: I believe this combat will neither be shut nor will it go the space. Edwards is solely the higher fighter, as he was after they met the primary time and the combat ended with a 19-8 Edwards benefit in vital strikes landed. Edwards’ confidence has solely grown and over 5 rounds, I believe he can put on Muhammad down and get the end regardless of not being the best finisher on the roster. Muhammad goes to be there to be hit too typically whereas making an attempt to drive the motion and finally he’ll run into one thing that hurts him.

Mahjouri: Edwards is well-prepared for Muhammad’s weapons. Muhammad and Kamaru Usman prioritize comparable paths to victory by wrestling to overwhelm and management their opponents. Usman is arguably the higher wrestler and has the additional advantage of placing energy. Edwards proved, significantly within the third Usman combat, that he is well-equipped to lockdown the takedown risk and is a far smoother operator on the toes. We received a brief pattern of Edwards vs. Muhammad in 2021. Edwards was main the dance earlier than a watch poke drew a no-contest. Each males have improved considerably, however I do not assume Muhammad has closed the hole. Muhammad might take a spherical or two however I believe Edwards will earn the judges’ nods. Edwards through unanimous choice.

Aspinall vs. Blaydes

Campbell: The one blemish on Aspinall’s eight-fight UFC journey was a 2022 loss to Blaydes, which occurred simply 15 seconds into the combat when the native of England badly injured his knee. Not solely did Aspinall return practically one 12 months to the day of the harm, he has seemed as explosive and dynamic as ever in back-to-back early finishes of Marcin Tybura and Sergei Pavlovich, with the latter giving him the UFC interim heavyweight title. Blaydes stays the elite litmus take a look at for any heavyweight seeking to enter the title image and all thrice he has appeared able to make his personal transfer to the highest, he noticed his title hopes detonated in typically brutal style through knockout. And despite the fact that Blaydes might have success taking Aspinall down and should not be taken evenly on this matchup, Aspinall has too some ways to complete the combat and stays motivated, no matter whether or not full champion Jon Jones retires with out combating him this fall, to show that he is one of the best heavyweight on the planet. Give me Aspinall by convincing knockout. 

Brookhouse: Aspinall is near being a kind of “should you might create a fighter in a lab” guys. He is huge, he is quick, he is highly effective, he has nice hand pace and he can grapple. Blaydes is an excellent heavyweight with energy and a great wrestling sport. However Aspinall is the overall package deal. Heavyweight could be risky and it might solely take Blaydes touchdown a kind of heavy fingers to throw the division into chaos however I do not see that occuring. Aspinall is just too good on paper to get caught sleeping in opposition to a man with a really simple gameplan of throw huge energy punches and shoot for takedowns.

Mahjouri: It is at all times difficult dubbing somebody the long run when their fights usually final seconds or minutes, however Aspinall is hard to disclaim. He looks like the total package deal: quick, highly effective and technical. UFC light-weight champion Frankie Edgar, famend for his boxing, instructed CBS Sports activities that Aspinall has the quickest fingers he is ever seen from a heavyweight. Aspinall can also be one of many division’s smartest fighters. Blaydes should rating a takedown however we have but to see anybody floor Aspinall. I even have doubts about Blaydes placing protection and talent to soak up Aspinall’s energy, significantly after his fast loss to Sergei Pavlovich final 12 months.

Inexperienced vs. Pimblett

Campbell: The 37-year-old Inexperienced is using a little bit of a resurgent streak with three wins in his final 4 fights and brings the mixture of harmful placing and cussed takedown protection to seek out himself as a slight betting favourite. All of that makes a ton of sense when one considers simply how inconsistent the 29-year-old Pimblett has been in 5 UFC fights. That is the defining combat in Pimblett’s early arc and one he should win as a way to have a shot at fulfilling the intense crossover potential he initially introduced with him into the Octagon. Sure, there stay a ton of flaws to Pimblett’s sport. However he does have a robust chin to cowl for errors and a pure capability to boost his sport to a different degree when the stakes enhance. Inexperienced, who has been stopped thrice within the final two years alone, typically leaves far too many openings given his reckless placing fashion, which incorporates stalking ahead together with his fingers right down to typically dare his opponent to make the primary transfer. That is the place Pimblett can rise to the event and file the kind of breakthrough end which his hype calls for.

Brookhouse: Inexperienced is a harmful opponent for Pimblett. He is additionally an opponent who was picked to face somebody the UFC sees as a possible golden goose in Pimblett. Everyone seems to be conscious of Pimblett’s weaknesses, together with UFC matchmakers who possible need to give him time and take a look at his improvement. That does not imply this combat is a gimmie for Pimblett, he might completely get crushed by Inexperienced. Nonetheless, Inexperienced’s flaws could also be extra of a problem than Pimblett’s on this combat. Pimblett is fast and he ought to be capable of benefit from Inexperienced’s wide-open nature. Pimblett might additionally rating some takedowns and dominate the combat on the bottom.

Mahjouri: I’ve by no means been extra intrigued by a Pimblett combat within the UFC. There are nonetheless doubts about Pimblett’s aggressive potential relative to his excessive profile however Inexperienced presents him with an acceptable entry into the UFC’s official light-weight High 15. It is Pimblett’s placing protection that offers me pause. Pimblett is a dynamic placing and jiu-jitsu risk however lacks the offensive wrestling to expedite his floor sport. If the combat comes right down to who lands a knockout or knockdown blow, I favor Inexperienced’s intentional hands-down fashion over Pimblett’s dangerous habits of protecting his chin up and fingers low. Inexperienced, 37, enters his fiftieth skilled combat in opposition to an opponent eight years his junior, however I believe Inexperienced has sufficient within the tank to make Pimblett pay.

Who wins UFC 304: Edwards vs. Muhammad 2, and the way precisely does every combat finish? Go to SportsLine now to get detailed picks on UFC Battle Evening, all from the MMA knowledgeable who profited greater than $1,200 on UFC main-card picks, and discover out.