UFC 304: Leon Edwards vs Tom Aspinall fights confirmed for Manchester card

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Leon Edwards and Tom Aspinall have confirmed their headline bouts at UFC 304 in Manchester.

UFC CEO Dana White has revealed that welterweight king Edwards will face Belal Muhammad in his third consecutive title defense on July 27.

As heavyweight Aspinall rematches Curtis Blaydes in his second blockbuster fight after the UFC announced his return to the UK.

The pay-per-view event, which will take place at Manchester’s new Co-op Live arena, will also feature Paddy Pimblett taking on Bobby Green.

Blaydes faced Aspinall in London 2022, with the Wigan fighter suffering a knee injury just 15 seconds into the match. That result remains Aspinall’s only loss in the UFC and the 31-year-old has gone 2-0 since then, most recently knocking out Sergey Pavlovich in November to win the interim belt.

Meanwhile, Blaydes went 1-1, losing to Pavlovich by knockout in April 2023, before stopping Jailton Almeida last month. That win, coupled with Blaydes’ past with Aspinall, was enough to secure the huge fight at UFC 304.

Blaydes is apparently unfazed by the Briton’s home support – just as he was when they fought in 2022.

“I don’t know why people are making this a big deal,” Blaydes said. “Because once you’re in the Octagon, the venue has no impact. the boos? I don’t care about booing. I’ll do it anywhere.

“If it has to be in England, that’s fine. I liked England apart from the lack of air conditioning. They don’t have air conditioning, I don’t know why. It’s weird, I don’t get it, but that’s something there.”

Edwards fought Muhammad to a No Contest in 2021, with Edwards landing several accidental eye shots.

The UFC 304 announcement was instantly met with criticism from fans, who tuned in at 11pm for the prelims and 3am for the main card – times that cater to an American audience.

UFC 304