LEON EDWARDS and Belal Muhamad took part in an incredibly fiery final face-off ahead of their rematch.
The pair renew their rivalry early on Sunday morning in the main event of UFC 304 in Manchester.
But this time, Brit Edwards will face the Palestinian-American as the king of the welterweights.
Their first meeting just over three years ago ended prematurely due to an accidental eye poke from Edwards.
Tensions have been high between the pair ever since, with Muhammad accusing the Brummie of doing everything in his power to avoid rematching him.
The duo, 32 and 36 respectively had to be separated by UFC supremo Dana White during their post-press conference on Thursday night.
And they had a similarly fiery face-off after the ceremonial weigh-ins on Friday evening.
Muhammad came out to a chorus of boos but lapped up the atmosphere whipped up by the hostile crowd at the Co-op Live Arena.
Chants of “Rocky, Rocky, Rocky” rang throughout the arena as Edwards stepped on the stage making his way to the scales.
Neither man had any issues making weight at the official weigh-ins earlier in the day, with Edwards coming in bang on 170lbs and Muhammad at 169lbs.
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And they went head-to-head once again after completing the ceremonial act of stepping on the scales for the fans.
Muhammad was almost finished by a vicious barrage of strikes in his meeting with Edwards after being rocked by a head kick in the first round.
Edwards reckons the bout would’ve ended with his hand raised had he not poked Muhammad’s right eye.
But Muhammad told SunSport: “I’m hoping he comes out with that same mentality. “I’m hoping that he thinks that it’s gonna be an easy fight.
“Even with that first fight, when you’re going back and you’re watching it, he had one moment. It was a head kick.
“There was nothing else in that first round where you’re looking at like, ‘Oh, this is a 10-8 round.’
“It was still a 10- 9 round on the judges’ scorecard. He outstruck me by like six strikes. And in general, I’m a guy that picks up the pace.
“And that was before, you know, Leon was off for two years before that. So for us, it was, ‘Let’s see what Leon comes out [with].
“‘Let’s see what Leon shows up today, what he’s gonna bring, what new style he brings.’
“So it was to start at a slow pace. So I’m hoping that he thinks that, ‘All right, we’re gonna go the same way.’
“And I’m even telling myself like, ‘I wanna go out here and lose this first round against Leon in this fight just to show him – all right, you won this first round now, watch what I do these next four.'”
