Leon "Rocky" Edwards eyes his third title defence when he steps into the cage to fight Belal Muhammad at UFC 304.
The latest: A bout that feels like it took forever to materialize headlines a PPV in Manchester, England with much of the card being filled with British fighters. Edwards headlines and fellow countryman Tom Aspinall defends the interim heavyweight title in the co-main event against Curtis Blaydes.
Check out our full UFC 304 odds for the July 27 event in Manchester, England.
UFC 304 odds
Check out the latest UFC odds. Click linked odds to add selection to betslip.
Fighter | Odds | Weight class | Odds | Fighter |
Leon Edwards (C) | -205 | Welterweight | +163 | Belal Muhammad (2) |
Tom Aspinall (IC) | -278 | Heavyweight | +215 | Curtis Blaydes (4) |
Muhammad Mokaev (6) | -118 | Featherweight | -105 | Manel Kape (8) |
Bobby Green (15) | -155 | Lightweight | +123 | Paddy Pimblett (NR) |
Arnold Allen (6) | -265 | Featherweight | +205 | Giga Chikadze (9) |
UFC odds as of 2:47 p.m. ET on 07/10/2024.
UFC 304 odds: Edwards vs. Muhammad 2
Edwards (-175) vs. Muhammad (+163)
A long-awaited bout provides little anticipation among fans but there's potential for this to be exciting.
Edwards (22-3-0) hasn't lost since his first fight with Kamaru Usman all the way back in 2015. His 13-fight unbeaten streak was capped off with a dominant performance over Colby Covington to collect his second title defence.
Technically this is a rematch, but fans were left unimpressed with the first fight after it ended as a no-contest early in the second round after a brutal eye poke from Edwards.
Muhammad (23-3-0) has a style similar to Covington with a high pace and lots of wrestling so fans are left with little interest in this matchup.
It also doesn't help that the challenger is constantly regarded to as one of the most boring fighters on the roster.
However, that's not to disregard the effectiveness of his strategy. If he gets a hold of the champ and stays heavy on top to start winning rounds, there is a possibility fans could be hearing "and new" at the end of the night.
Aspinall vs. Blaydes odds
Aspinall (-278) vs. Blaydes (+215)
Much like the main event, this is also a rematch and the similarities don't end there.
Their first fight also ended prematurely with the Englishman injuring his knee just minutes into the fight. Since then, Aspinall (14-3-0) won two straight fights in the first round and claimed the interim title while Jon Jones waits on the shelf for Stipe Miocic.
Blaydes (18-4-0) has had a rather successful UFC career but all four of his losses have come by KO/TKO.
That is a dangerous vulnerability to have against Aspinall. All but one of the champ's career wins have come inside the first round due to his heavy hands and slick jiu-jitsu.
These two fighters are at the top of the mountain in the heavyweight division and there's bound to be violence in this bout.
Mokaev vs. Kape odds
This fight is one for the fans.
Mokaev (11-0-0) is one of the fastest-rising prospects in the UFC. At just 23 years old, he's already collected six wins under the promotion and undoubtedly has his toughest task yet.
Kape (19-6-0) made his name in RIZIN, a rival promotion that is one of Asia's most elite.
He's won four straight but has seen seven cancelled bouts in that same time frame. It's hard to build momentum as a martial artist with that luck but if he can pick up a marquee win against Mokaev, he'll be on a short list of athletes ready to fight for the title.
Ultimately the same goes for his opponent as this is a big fight for the future of the flyweight division.
Mokaev is a smothering grappler that complements his Dagestani roots where as Kape is an electrifying kickboxer. So it's no surprise that the outcome of this fight will be dependant on where it's contested.
Green vs. Pimblett odds
Green (-155) vs. Pimblett (+123)
Pimblett (21-3-0) is arguably the most popular English fighter despite having yet to achieve a ranking in the lightweight division.
That's because of his wittiness on the microphone and kill-or-be-killed approach to his fights.
He will be the underdog for the first time in his career. It won't feel like it when he walks out in front of his home crowd in Manchester, however.
Green (32-15-1) probably deserves to be the favourite with his extensive UFC experience and No. 15 ranking.
We have seen him get dominated on the ground before and that is where Pimblett strives. So if the latter can secure a takedown, it could be a long night for his opponent.
Allen vs. Gikadze odds
Allen (-265) vs. Chikadze (+205)
Two featherweights lead off the main card.
Allen (19-3-0) was on an impressive nine-fight winning streak before losing two straight to Max Holloway and Mosvar Evloev.
Losing to top fighters in the division is not the end of the world but his momentum has been halted and he will look to get back into title contention.
He faces Chikadze (15-3-0) who shared a similar fate and saw his eight-fight win streak end in a one-sided beatdown to Calvin Kattar. He's been inactive since August.
Whichever striker comes out victorious here will be right back in a title eliminator while the loser will see his slide in the rankings continue.