UFC 304 is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 27th at the Co-op Live in Manchester, England. Leon Edwards (22-3-1) is set to defend his Welterweight Championship against Belal Muhammad (23-3-1) in the main event.
Recently, referee Marc Goddard appeared on the Overdogs Podcast, where Goddard explained why he won’t officiate Leon Edwards’ fights. Goddard said that he was Edwards’ first MMA coach.
“Here’s a classic case, Leon Edwards. You’ve never seen me referee Leon Edwards in the UFC, and you never will. Why? Because I was Leon Edwards’ first MMA coach. Way, way, way back when he was just an amateur. But again, the common-sense element for me, even though the link is so—who knew then when Leon first walked into that gym as a raw amateur, a raw novice with no experience? Now look at him. UFC welterweight champion of the world, but you’ve never saw me referee him, and you never will because we just keep it out of the way. I just don’t want any hassle, and I don’t want to be put in a predicament where I’m making a call that could go against him, so it’s both ways.”
Leon Edwards last competed at UFC 296, where he defended his Welterweight Title against Colby Covington. Edwards won the fight via unanimous decision.
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— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 7, 2024