Welterweight champion Leon Edwards makes the third defense of his belt on Saturday in the main event of UFC 304: Edwards vs. Muhammad 2 when he takes on veteran contender Belal Muhammad. Their five-round showdown anchors the main UFC 304 fight card starting at 10 p.m. ET from Co-op Live in Manchester, England. It took Edwards nearly a decade in the UFC to be considered among the promotion’s elite fighters, but he is now No. 4 in the pound-for-pound rankings and could be headed towards a dominant reign as welterweight champion. The No. 2-ranked Muhammad makes his first title-fight appearance on the strength of four consecutive wins against top-10 ranked opponents.
Edwards is a -260 favorite (risk $260 to win $100), while Muhammad fetches a price of +220 in the latest UFC 304: Edwards vs. Muhammad 2 odds. In the co-main event, interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall (-370) takes on veteran contender Curtis Blaydes (+280). Before locking in your picks for UFC 304: Edwards vs. Muhammad 2, make sure you see the MMA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Daniel Vithlani.
Vithlani made his SportsLine debut in January 2023 and swept the main card for UFC 283 with a 5-0 record and has been a consistent winner ever since. Over the past 13 UFC pay-per-view events, Vithlani has gone 10-6 on main-card picks and his selections in that span have netted his followers a profit of more than $1,200.
His highlights include predicting an upset for Sean O’Malley (+210) against Aljamain Sterling (-250) at UFC 292 as part of a 4-1 main card and his UFC 299 winners included underdog selections on Poirier (+190) against Saint Denis (-230) and Michael Page (+110) against Kevin Holland (-130). Anyone who has followed him has seen massive returns.
Now, with UFC 304: Edwards vs. Muhammad 2 on deck, Vithlani has studied the UFC fight card from top to bottom and released his top selections. You can only see those picks at SportsLine.
UFC 304: Edwards vs. Muhammad 2 preview
Edwards and Muhammad share starkly similar career trajectories, and the arc of their UFC journeys has already included crossing paths with each other. Although welterweight is one of the most talent-rich and celebrated divisions in the UFC, Edwards and Muhammad are both among its least popular contenders in recent memory. In fact, both combatants had to embark on 10-fight unbeaten streaks before getting their first title shots.
Edwards (22-3-1) has often been criticized for his risk-averse style, a talented technician who does just enough to win while rarely engaging in the firefights that most fans prefer. Edwards is also soft-spoken and not prone to self-promotion, leading to a lower public profile. What’s more, he took a nearly two-year hiatus during the Covid pandemic as opposed to enduring the logistical hassles it took for many UFC fighters to perform, particularly those based overseas.
However, the 32-year-old Birmingham native made the most of his return and ended Kamar Usman’s reign at welterweight with a stunning head-kick knockout in the fifth round of their August 2022 matchup. Edwards, who will be making his third title defense Saturday, has now compiled a 13-fight unbeaten streak dating to December 2015. However, the lone non-victory in that span came in a no-contest against Muhammad in March 2021.
Muhammad stepped up on short notice to salvage a UFC Fight Night main event, but the fight left both parties unhappy. Edwards dominated the first round, but the fight was stopped early in the second after an accidental eye poke left Muhammad unable to continue.
Similar to Edwards, the 36-year-old Muhammad (23-3-1) has largely struggled to connect with the UFC fan base on a broad scale. Although many observers attribute this to his wrestling-heavy style that most fans frown upon, a generally unlikable personality doesn’t help. This includes an open disdain for most MMA media and endless social-media beefs with other UFC fighters, most of whom apparently also hold him in low regard.
Even so, Muhammad’s title-shot credentials are ironclad. His skill set appears to be improving with each fight, and his second-round knockout of prospect Sean Brady in October 2022 as a slight underdog catapulted Muhammad to the top of the welterweight rankings. You can see more UFC 304 picks at SportsLine.
UFC 304 predictions
We’ll share one of Vithlani’s UFC 304 selections here: He is backing Manel Kape (+125) to get his hand raised against Muhammad Mokaev (-145) in a matchup of flyweight prospects on the preliminary card.
Kape (19-6), who has won four straight, is generally considered one of the most promising prospects in the flyweight division. His primary drawback has been a streak of misfortune that has hit both himself and his scheduled opponents, causing at least four fights to be canceled in the past 18 months.
Mokaev (12-0-1) is a grappling specialist who has emerged as a contender on the strength of six consecutive victories to start his UFC career. The 23-year-old Russian fighter won a decision against veteran contender Alex Perez in March.
“When Kape lets his hands go, he is dangerous. His counter-striking and movement could give Mokaev issues when he looks to put on pressure and close distance,” Vithlani told SportsLine. You can see more UFC 304 picks at SportsLine.
How to make UFC 304 picks
Vithlani has strong picks for Edwards vs. Muhammad and other bouts on the UFC 304 card. He’s also backing a fighter who “is dangerous with his diverse submission attack” to emerge with a huge victory. Those picks and his full analysis are only available at SportsLine.
Who wins UFC 304: Edwards vs. Muhammad 2, and how exactly does each fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on UFC Fight Night, all from the MMA expert who profited more than $1,200 on UFC main-card picks, and find out.
UFC 304 odds, fight card
See full UFC 304 picks, predictions, best bets here.
Leon Edwards (-260) vs. Belal Muhammad (+220)
Tom Aspinall (-370) vs. Curtis Blaydes (+280)
Bobby Green (-115) vs. Paddy Pimblett (-105)
Christian Leroy Duncan (-140) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (+120)
Arnold Allen (-240) vs. Giga Chikadze (+200)
Nathaniel Wood (-425) vs. Daniel Pineda (+330)
Molly McCann (-350) vs. Bruna Brasil (+270)
Caolan Loughran (-195) vs. Jake Hadley (+165)
Oban Elliot (+120) vs. Preston Parson (-140)
Muhammad Mokaev (-145) vs. Manel Kape (+125)
