UFC 304 will take place in Manchester tonight, as British champions Leon Edwards and Tom Aspinall defend their titles in intriguing rematches.
In the main event, welterweight king Edwards defends his belt against Belal Muhammad, three years after fighting the Palestinian-American to a No Contest. In their first meeting, Edwards accidentally landed an eye poke, leading the bout to be halted.
Edwards – Jamaican-born and representing Birmingham – regained momentum and won the 170lb title with a stunning knockout of Kamaru Usman in 2022, before retaining the gold against Usman and Colby Covington last year. The 32-year-old is unbeaten in 13 fights across nine years.
In tonight’s co-main event, Aspinall puts the interim heavyweight title on the line against Curtis Blaydes, two years after suffering a knee injury against the American – just 15 seconds into that clash in London. Wigan’s Aspinall, 31, has otherwise been perfect in the UFC and claimed the interim strap with a knockout of Sergei Pavlovich in November.
Typically an interim champion would challenge the regular title holder next, but Jon Jones is injured and the UFC is refusing to strip him of his belt – instead insisting that “Bones” will defend his title against Stipe Miocic next, as was planned last year.
Elsewhere at UFC 304, Paddy Pimblett, Molly McCann, Muhammad Mokaev and Arnold Allen are among the many British names in action. Follow live updates and results from UFC 304, below.
UFC 304 LIVE
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The UFC returns to the UK for a pay-per-view event, at Manchester’s new Co-op Live arena
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Main event: Britain’s Leon Edwards defends his welterweight title against Belal Muhammad
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The fight is a rematch of their 2021 bout, which ended as No Contest after an eye poke from Edwards
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Co-main event: Wigan’s Tom Aspinall defends the interim heavyweight title against Curtis Blaydes
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That bout is also a rematch; in 2022, Aspinall suffered a knee injury just 15 seconds into their first clash
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Elsewhere, Liverpudlian stars Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett and Molly McCann are in action
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Arnold Allen and Muhammad Mokaev are among the other British fighters competing
Leon Edwards,Tom Aspinall,UFC,Belal Muhammad,Kamaru Usman,Curtis Blaydes,Colby Covington,interim champion
