Dave Lovell, coach of UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, said the Briton will fight American Belal Muhammad on July 27 at UFC 304 in Manchester.
Lovell told talkSPORT:
The lads that were put to him, Shavkat [Rakhmonov] Khamzat [Chimaev] and Islam [Makhachev], they were all fasting. We were ready to go but it is what it is. I think it will be Belal [Muhammad] next. It's not written in stone, but 99.9 per cent [of me] thinks it will be Belal.
Edwards, 32, last stepped into the octagon in December 2023 at UFC 296, defeating Colby Covington by unanimous decision. He has 22 wins and three losses on his record.
Muhammad, 35, last fought in May 2023 at UFC 288, defeating Gilbert Burns by unanimous decision. He has 23 wins and three losses under his belt.
