UFC 304 LIVE results: Leon Edwards loses title after Tom Aspinall knocks out Curtis Blaydes
Re-live the action as the UFC’s two British champions defended their titles in Manchester – with mixed results
Tom Aspinall retained his interim heavyweight title with a rapid knockout of Curtis Blaydes on Saturday, before Leon Edwards lost the welterweight belt to Belal Muhammad in the UFC 304 main event.
Wigan’s Aspinall needed just one minute to floor Blaydes with a one-two, before flattening out the American and forcing a finish on the canvas. With that, Aspinall avenged a 2022 loss to Blaydes, a defeat that occurred when the Briton sustained a knee injury just 15 seconds into their fight in London.
In Manchester on Saturday, Aspinall was able to prove his superiority over Blaydes, 33, retaining the interim belt that he won in November. And in doing so, the 31-year-old moved a step closer to a dream fight with Jon Jones. Jones, 37, holds the regular belt but is out injured, with the American expected to return later this year in a title defence against former champion Stipe Miocic, 41.
In the main event of UFC 304, Edwards’s welterweight title reign was ended in comprehensive fashion by Muhammad. The Palestinian-American beat the Jamaican-born Briton on all three scorecards – 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 – in a rematch of their 2021 meeting.
Their first clash ended as a No Contest, after Edwards accidentally landed an eye poke on Muhammad, while each man had otherwise been faultless in recent years. Only Muhammad, 36, was able to retain that form on Saturday, however. With his unanimous-decision victory over Edwards, he ended a title reign that began in 2022 – when Edwards knocked out Kamaru Usman in stunning fashion.
Edwards, 32, retained the belt against Usman and Colby Covington with decision wins in 2023, but the Birmingham fighter could go no further on Saturday. Re-live the action and see all results from UFC 304, below.
UFC 304 LIVE: Oban Elliott vs Preston Parsons
Round three
Parsons tries a single-leg this time, but again Elliott sprawls nicely. The pair stand, and both men land straight shots.
Elliott gets a body lock and drives Parsons to the fence, where the American throws hammer fists to the body. The welterweights separate and move back to the centre of the ring.
Parsons with a left hand, then a takedown attempt, which he completes after some resistance from Elliott.
The Welshman is trying to defend with an armbar, but Parsons slips free. He lands an uppercut on Elliott as they stand against the fence – and it’s there that the fight will end.
Oban Elliott def. Preston Parsons via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
UFC 304 LIVE: Oban Elliott vs Preston Parsons
Round two
More grappling against the fence, and Parsons lands an elbow at close range, before Elliott returns the favour.
Elliott goes southpaw and lands a cross, then a snabbing jab after returning to an orthodox stance. Good counter hook by Elliott now.
Parsons shoots for a double-leg takedown, but Elliott sprawls really well! He then takes the back, and Parsons stands against the fence.
Parsons gets free, and the welterweights move back into the open. Elliott slips a punch and gets a takedown, which the crowd enjoys! He works on taking the back again, as “Ole!” chants ring around the Co-op Live.
A scramble ensues, and Elliott ends the round holding Parsons against the fence.
UFC 304 LIVE: Oban Elliott vs Preston Parsons
Next up, it’s a welterweight bout between Wales’s Oban Elliott and American Preston Parsons.
Round one
Both men stand orthodox. Elliott with a spinning back kick early, but he misses the target. A grappling exchange ensues, as Elliott holds Parsons against the fence, before the pair trade positions back and forth – and again.
The welterweights move into space, where Elliott lands a side kick. Now Parsons misses with a spinning back kick.
Elliott trips while stepping backwards but stays on his feet, and Parsons looks to capitalise with a standing guillotine. But the Welshman pops his head out.
Nice counter cross by Elliott as Parsons kicks low. Parsons with a cross to the body.
UFC 304 LIVE: Modestas Bukauskas vs Marcin Prachnio
Round three
Prachnio with a fast start to this round, chasing Bukauskas and seemingly buzzing the British-Lithuanian!
But as the fight hits the mat, Bukauskas takes back control. He’s working on an arm-triangle choke. No luck so far, but he lands a few elbows before re-attempting the choke – and this time he gets it!
A celebratory backflip, and Bukauskas just about sticks the landing!
Modestas Bukauskas def. Marcin Prachnio via third-round submission (arm-triangle choke, 3:30)
UFC 304 LIVE: Modestas Bukauskas vs Marcin Prachnio
Round two
Side kick to the body by Prachnio, then both men land punches upstairs in a frenzied back and forth.
Prachnio throws himself off balance by overcommitting to an overhand, then he’s dropped by a well-timed right hook! But he springs up and hurts Bukauskas with a head kick out of nowhere! This one could go either way at any moment!
The pace slows for now, as the light-heavyweights grapple against the fence. Bukauskas with a nice trip, and he tries to move into mount, while Prachnio aims to retain half-guard.
Bukauskas tries an Americana, but he’s unable to wrench Prachnio’s arm. The Pole defends well then stands to end the round.
UFC 304 LIVE: Modestas Bukauskas vs Marcin Prachnio
Next up, it’s light-heavyweight action, as British-Lithuanian Modestas Bukauskas faces Poland’s Marcin Prachnio.
Round one
Bukauskas stands southpaw. He eats a couple of leg kicks from the orthodox Prachnio. Now Bukauskas switches stances back and forth. He lands a big left cross from southpaw!
Prachnio connects with a right hook in a scrappy exchange, but he almost leans into a high kick shortly thereafter. Prachnio wings an overhand left and just about lands – that could have been much worse for Bukauskas.
Now Bukauskas backs up the Pole and lands several good punches – a couple of rights, a couple of lefts. A spinning back elbow appears to just miss the mark!
But Prachnio seems hurt by a left hook, and he’s retreating as Bukauskas looks to build! The finish won’t come here, so Bukauskas eases off for now.
Prachnio comes forward and lands a low kick, but he ends the round retreating after an uppercut from his opponent.
UFC 304 LIVE: Sam Patterson vs Kiefer Crosbie
Now it’s England vs Ireland, as Sam Patterson faces Kiefer Crosbie at welterweight. The pair’s face-off at yesterday’s weigh-in got a little feisty...
Round one
A lot of tension before this one starts. Patterson hasn’t taken his eyes off Crosbie since joining the Irishman in the cage.
Both men stand orthodox. Hard low kick by Crosbie, who presses forward early. A couple of misses by Crosbie, and Patterson fires off a one-two. Front kick to the body by Patterson now.
Both men land jabs, and Crosbie adds a wide left hook. There’s a brief pause in the action after an apparent low blow by Crosbie. When the action resumes, the welterweights trade hands in a frenzied exchange!
They grapple and move to the fence, where Patterson gets a takedown. He flattens out Crosbie and gets to work on an arm-triangle choke... He adjusts a couple of times...
And he gets the tap! It’s all over in round one!
Sam Patterson def. Kiefer Crosbie via first-round submission (arm-triangle choke) 2:50
UFC 304 LIVE: Mick Parkin vs Lukasz Brzeski
Next up, Tom Aspinall’s teammate Mick Parkin faces Poland’s Lukasz Brzeski at heavyweight.
Round one
Body kick by Brzeski early on. Parkin checks a leg kick. Decent check left hook by the Briton now. Brzeski lands his own left hook.
Both men are trading clean shots in the pocket! Parkin with a good counter right hook now. Parkin leans back and looks for the left hook, and just about lands it. A decent one-two by him now.
Parkin blocks a head kick. but Brzeski’s follow-up jab is on point. Both men land in a messy exchange.
OH! Parkin hurts Brzeski with a right hook, then pours on a combination of hooks and uppercuts, and Brzeski goes down against the fence! A couple more shots, and it’s all over!
The Manchester crowd loves that!
Mick Parkin def. Lukasz Brzeski via first-round KO (punches, 3:23)
UFC 304 LIVE: Shauna Bannon vs Alice Ardelean
Round three
Good cross from Bannon. Ardelean just blocks a head kick, but then eats another cross. She comes back with a jab. Side kick to the body by Bannon. Another cross by Ardelean.
Now Bannon with a firm cross, and another! She lands the side kick to the body again. And again. Ardelean is landing the harder strikes, but Bannon is managing some encouraging blitzes.
There’s a brief pause in the action, as some tape has come loose on Ardelean’s glove. Back under way, 45 seconds left.
Bannon has the crowd behind her as she looks to finish strong, landing with greater volume than Ardelean.
We’ll go to the scorecards, where Ardelean might have taken the first two rounds – though the first was close; Bannon definitely earned the third.
Shauna Bannon def. Alice Ardelean via split decision 28-29, 29-28, 30-27.
The third card is too wide for Bannon, but she won’t care!
UFC 304 LIVE: Shauna Bannon vs Alice Ardelean
Round two
Another stiff jab by Ardelean to start the round. Now a low kick. A few scrappy exchanges follow, with both women throwing simultaneously as they close range. Bannon switches to southpaw and back.
Bannon looks for a trip, but Ardelean uses a whizzer to negate the underhook. The Romanian then gets a body lock and forces Bannon to the cage – as she did in round one.
Bannon with a decent knee, but she needs to get back into space. She’s unable to, and Ardelean secures another takedown.
Decent strikes from Ardelean while she holds Bannon in a headlock. Bannon is able to stand just in time for the buzzer.
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