Leon Edwards defends his UFC welterweight title against Belal Muhammad in the main event of the UFC 304 double-title bout on Saturday in Manchester, England. The other championship bout also features an English titleholder – Tom Aspinall defends his interim heavyweight belt against Curtis Blaydes.
Edwards (22-3, 1 NC) is undefeated in his last 13 fights. He most recently defeated Colby Covington in December by decision in his second 170-pound title defense. Edwards is No. 3 in ESPN's men's pound-for-pound rankings. Muhammad (23-3, 1 NC) is undefeated in 10 straight fights. His most recent win was over a year ago, by decision over Gilbert Burns in May 2023. Muhammad is No. 3 in ESPN's welterweight rankings.
Aspinall (14-3), No. 1 in the ESPN heavyweight rankings, has won two fights in a row, most recently a first-round knockout of Sergei Pavlovich in November to win the interim title. Third-ranked Blaydes (18-4, 1 NC) is coming off a second-round knockout of Jailton Almeida in March.
What are the storylines behind the top fights at UFC 304? How do experts analyze them? What do the fighters have to say? Here you will find the fight card, information on how to watch and a compilation of all the important information about UFC 304.
Purchase UFC 304 and you will automatically be entered into a drawing for a VIP trip to UFC 310 on December 7 in Las Vegas.
How to follow the fights
Watch the PPV and all other fights on ESPN+: Get ESPN+ here.
Watch the prelims on ESPN2. Download the ESPN app | ESPN2 | WatchESPN | TV Schedule
If you bought the fight on your phone and want to stream it on your TV, here's how.
There is also FightCenter, which provides live updates for every UFC card.
UFC 304 fight card
Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad faced each other in 2021, but the fight ended in controversy. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
(c) = defending champion | (ic) = interim defending champion
Edwards and Aspinall lead the golden generation of English MMA
Two decades after England hosted its first UFC event, the country boasts two champions: welterweight king Leon Edwards and interim heavyweight titleholder Tom Aspinall – both of whom will face off this Saturday at UFC 304 in Manchester (10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV). Plus, England's future looks bright, with a next wave of soon-to-be stars, including Paddy Pimblett and Dakota Ditcheva. Their inspiration and opportunities can be traced back to an Englishman who pulled off an upset despite his father's ill health.
Today, the region is probably one of the regions with the strongest development of MMA talent in the world.
Hale and Okamoto: Insights into the creation of the golden generation of English MMA
Can Edwards and Aspinall deliver at home?
With two title fights, a raucous crowd and high stakes on the 14-fight card, UFC 304 promises plenty of drama in Manchester, England. (10 p.m. ET on ESPN PPV)
Fellow Englishmen Leon Edwards and Tom Aspinall look to defend their welterweight and interim heavyweight titles respectively against deserving challengers Belal Muhammad and Curtis Blaydes. Both fights will be contested as rematches, although the previous two bouts have not revealed much about the outcome of Saturday's celebrations.
Combine that with 13 fighters representing the UK in the Co-op Live arena and combat sports fans are in for a potentially electrifying experience. But questions remain: can the British stars shine on the biggest stage? How will the unusual timing – 3am start of the main fights – affect the fighters? What will the impact of the big fights mean for other top stars in the sport?
Ranking the storylines of UFC 304
Betting experts and coaches dive deep into UFC 304
Andreas Hale spoke with ESPN analyst and former UFC welterweight Alan Jouban to get his take on the UFC main event. ESPN betting expert Ian Parker provides insight and analysis on the main event and other interesting bets he likes on the card.
Hale and Parker: Expert tips and best bets for UFC 304
Our data model takes into account UFC 304 title fights
What do the analytics say about upcoming championship fights like the two on the podium at UFC 304? Should a wrestler like Belal Muhammad be considered the favorite against a striker like Leon Edwards? Will a rematch hurt or help current champion Tom Aspinall?
Using predictive models that are independent of betting odds, we looked at how each champion's matchup stacks up from a popularity perspective. Essentially, is this a good matchup for the champion or the challenger? The inputs take into account each fighter's performance metrics in the Octagon and select factors about the fighter outside the cage. The higher the score, the more favorable the matchup for the reigning champion.
These scores do not indicate how to bet on the fight. They rate the relative favorability, from the riskiest matchup to the best.
Kuhn and Parker: Predictions for the UFC title duel
