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Tag: john gooden

  • UFC Commentator Feels Belal Muhammad’s Trash Talk Is Not Affecting Leon Edwards At All: ‘I Think He’s Laughing It All Off’

    UFC Commentator Feels Belal Muhammad’s Trash Talk Is Not Affecting Leon Edwards At All: ‘I Think He’s Laughing It All Off’

    UFC 304 appears to be a personal affair for welterweight title challenger Belal Muhammad, who has had to wait a long time to get his shot.

    Ever since the way that his first fight ended with Leon Edwards three years ago, Muhammad has been campaigning for this rematch and slandering the character of “Rocky.”

    “Remember the Name” has continued to speak about how winning the title is one thing but beating Edwards for it in particular makes this fight even more meaningful to him.

    The champion, on the other hand, believes that his opponent is coming up with this narrative and has referred to him as “deluded.”

    John Gooden Believes Leon Edwards Isn’t Bothered By Belal Muhammad’s Words Pre-UFC 304

    Muhammad’s trash talk at the press conference on fight week didn’t appear to bother Edwards, and UFC commentator John Gooden believes that this comes from experience.

    He spoke in an interview with InsideFighting about how he doesn’t think the champion is going to be bothered by anything that his next opponent can say about him.

    Having already gone through the experience of facing Colby Covington in his last outing, Edwards has been through the ringer when it comes to pre-fight comments.

    “Leon, I think, used to suffer from some of that and biting back and not really finding the right sort of quips and banter to answer back. I’m going back to like, Darren Till times, because before that, it didn’t really happen. But I feel like when he walked out and then he got the boos in London, I think he was a little bit p***** off.

    “But, he’s now gone through issues with Kamaru, Kamaru was still digging at home and it wasn’t egregious and really horrible and toxic like Colby was. But I think when you go through a little bit more and a little bit more, your skin gets thicker, and then you realize like, ‘What’s the use in me taking this on board?’ And I have to say, I’ve had a few interactions with Leon now and his team and I think he’s just laughing a lot of it off. Belal is really going in on Leon, really going in.”

  • UFC Commentator Labels Belal Muhammad ‘Deluded’ For Pre-UFC 304 Comments About Leon Edwards

    UFC Commentator Labels Belal Muhammad ‘Deluded’ For Pre-UFC 304 Comments About Leon Edwards

    UFC commentator John Gooden believes Belal Muhammad might be overconfident with his trash talk aimed at reigning welterweight champion Leon Edwards ahead of their rematch at UFC 304.

    “Rocky” is preparing to defend his title against Muhammad in the headlining bout of the upcoming UFC pay-per-view, set for July 27 at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England.

    The two fighters previously clashed in a short-notice matchup at a UFC Fight Night main event in March 2021. However, the bout was cut short when an accidental eye poke in the second round left “Remember the Name” unable to continue, resulting in the fight being declared a no-contest.

    After their initial bout, Edwards earned a title shot by defeating Nate Diaz at UFC 263 and ultimately overcame Kamaru Usman to claim the 170-pound championship at UFC 278 in August 2022. Meanwhile, Muhammad had to achieve a five-fight undefeated streak to finally secure his first UFC title opportunity.

    As the two rivals prepare to clash again, “Remember the Name” is brimming with a new level of confidence, consistently downplaying the Jamaican-born Englishman and even branding him as the “easiest” opponent in the division.

    However, Gooden thinks Muhammad might have been overreaching with his verbal jabs…

    Gooden Argues Muhammad’s Discrediting of Edwards Is Misjudgment

    During a recent interview with MiddleEasy, Gooden weighed in on his compatriot Edwards’ upcoming bout against Muhammad. The British UFC broadcaster remarked that the American’s unwarranted verbal jabs at “Rocky” won’t win him any fans in the champion’s homeland and may even backfire.

    He mentioned that Edwards has garnered a substantial fan base in the UK thanks to his consistently stellar performances, which have cemented his reputation as a hometown hero.

    “He’s [Edwards] won over the British public through his success,” Gooden said. “I mean, Belal is talking a lot at the moment, and he is saying some pretty… Well, he’s discrediting Leon in a lot of ways. He’s got a lot of thoughts about his personality and his marketability, etc., etc., but Leon has earned this fanfare in the UK.”

    “The wider populous likes winners and Leon’s done nothing but that right, so he’s earned the popularity. So Belal is deluded if he thinks he’s going to walk out, and he’s going to get the cheers, and Leon’s going to get the boos like it’s not going to be that way.”

    Edwards isn’t celebrated for his microphone skills and had previously shrugged off Muhammad’s attempts to downplay him, questioning where his rival’s newfound confidence is coming from. Regardless, seeing how both fighters approach UFC 304 in the coming days will be fascinating.