A glance at the rankings in the UFC's welterweight division would seem to indicate that champion Leon Edwards, the winner of 12 in a row, is not only going to have his hands full for the foreseeable future, but he also stands on the verge of making a significant financial haul. It's no secret that UFC champions earn by far the most money in the promotion, and the champions with notable defenses or a string of successful defenses tend to be the highest earners within that group.
Former flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson is the notable exception.
Is Edwards, who will defend the crown against No. 2 Belal Muhammad Saturday in the main event of UFC 304, the modern-day version of Johnson? He certainly seems to think so.
Edwards won the title with one of the most memorable finishes in UFC history, a head kick KO of Kamaru Usman in the waning second at UFC 278 in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Aug. 20, 2022. It was a bout he was about to lose by decision when he fired the head kick heard 'round the world.
Edwards has subsequently defended the belt successfully twice, by decision over Usman at UFC 286 on March 18, 2023, in London, and against then-No. 1 and now No. 4 contender Colby Covington at UFC 296 in Las Vegas on Dec. 16.
That's three pretty high-profile victories that are part of a larger 12-fight winning streak that has now extended beyond eight years.
If Edwards, who is a -250 favorite Saturday at Draft Kings sportsbook, defeats Muhammad, it would seem he still has plenty of big-name fights in front of him in which to earn bank. No. 3 Shavkat Rakhmonov is 18-0 with 18 finishes and is approaching cult status. No. 5 Jack Della Maddalena is 17-2 and has won 17 in a row. No. 7 Ian Machado Garry is 15-0 and has a budding rivalry with Edwards. Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, the sport's pound-for-pound king, has expressed to move up to chase the welterweight belt.
Edwards, though, is eyeing a move to middleweight for precisely that reason. He believes winning a potential second belt would dramatically increase his earning power.
"I don't think there are really any big money fights right now in the welterweight division," Edwards said. "Just tough opponents in the division, but no big star who would add more value. Shavkat is obviously a good talent. Everyone's going on about him. Ian, we trained together before. So there's a story behind that, as well."
Before he thinks of anything else, though, Edwards needs to get past Muhammad. And while Muhammad hasn't been embraced by the fan base -- When a fight between Edwards and Muhammad was floated as the potential main event for UFC 300, there was a loud pushback on social media -- he's gotten progressively better since his first fight with Edwards ended in a no contest after an early second-round eye poke rendered him unable to continue.
Since that bout, Muhammad has defeated Demian Maia, Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson, Vicente Luque, Sean Brady and Gilbert Burns, all in impressive fashion. And while Muhammad's base is wrestling, Thompson, Luque and Brady are all highly regarded strikers. His wrestling has been impressive, but Muhammad's overall game has taken root. He's a threat on his feet now because opponents have to be so concerned with being taken down.
Edwards, though, won't be surprised by anything Muhammad tries. Not only have they shared the cage together, but Edwards has been around long enough to understand the toughest threat is the one in front of you.
"I'm taking him seriously and I'm not listening to what no one else thinks of him," Edwards said. "I've been in there with him and I know he's taking it seriously, as well. I'm focusing on getting out there and getting the job done."
If Edwards really wants to get the big paychecks, the easiest way is for him to start finishing fights. He's 22-3, a record which includes seven knockouts and three wins by submission. Six of his last seven bouts have gone to decision. It's as rare as snow flurries in July in Las Vegas that a UFC champion who regularly finishes fights doesn't turn into an iconic figure within the sports.
One of UFC CEO Dana White's top catch phrases is "Never leave it in the hands of the judges," a line that encourages fighters to take risks to get a finish.
Now, everyone wants to finish a fight and get on with things, but it's often times easier said than done. That's especially true when one's fighting the elite of the elite, as Edwards has been doing.
But a finish of Muhammad and, say, Rakhmonov would probably significantly change the perception of Edwards. Some fans negatively refer to him as a point fighter because of the rarity of his finishes, and however unfair that perception may be, it's why he's yet to be fully embraced by the fans outside of the United Kingdom.
There are, though, opportunities for him to change that perception. And the first will come in the wee hours of the Morning British time on Sunday when he steps into the Octagon to face Muhammad. Finish a guy who has only been finished once in 27 pro bouts and not at all since Luque scored a first-round KO at UFC 205 on Nov. 12, 2016, in New York and people will stand up and take notice.
That's the challenge staring the UFC's classy welterweight champion in the eyes right now.