Belal Muhammad says there’s no long-term damage to his eye following his fight with Leon Edwards at UFC Fight Night 187.
Muhammad’s (18-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) first main event opportunity ended terribly on Saturday when he took an accidental eye poke from Edwards (18-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) in the second round. He was in agony from the damage, and the contest was waved off as a no contest.
Given his immediate reaction, there was warranted concern that Muhammad could have sustained serious injury to his eye at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. He reported that’s not the case, however (via Twitter):
My heart is shattered my first main event ended like that but Gods the best of planners im sorry to the fans and the @ufc you deserved a full fight.. Alhamdillah the vision is coming back and no permanent damage to the eye I’ll be back and want to run it back @Leon_edwardsmma pic.twitter.com/5xsvhmZ5Uh
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) March 14, 2021
My heart is shattered my first main event ended like that but Gods the best of planners im sorry to the fans and the @ufc you deserved a full fight.. Alhamdillah the vision is coming back and no permanent damage to the eye I’ll be back and want to run it back @Leon_edwardsmma
Prior to the eye poke, Muhammad was having a hard time with Edwards. He got hurt with a head kick and was trying to turn the momentum away from the Brit going into the second frame.
The eye poke occurred just seconds in, though, and the fight was stopped.
Muhammad said he wants to rematch Edwards in the future, but when Edwards was asked about that possibility at the post-fight press conference, he seemed to have no interest and intends to move forward.
“The writing was on the wall. I was winning the fight clearly,” Edwards said. “I believe I should be next at the title shot. I’ve built myself back up. That’s what should be next, I think.”
Belal Muhammad reports ‘no permanent damage’ after eye poke, only ‘shattered heart’