Leon Edwards has been here before.

The Briton, who defends his UFC welterweight title against top contender Belal Muhammad late this Saturday night in Manchester, has already shared the cage with his opponent for a little more than a round in a contest a few years ago that was ended prematurely after Muhammad was unable to continue due to an accidental eyepoke from Edwards.

And having stared down his foe in the past ahead of their high-stakes rematch this weekend, Edwards says that he just can’t buy Muhammad’s pre-fight comments which the champion claims are aimed at intimidation.

“I mean, let’s say we’re in the street and I saw Belal Muhammad,” Edwards told the media, including The Mac Life, at the pre-fight media day in Manchester on Wednesday.

“I wouldn’t be afraid of him one bit. You know what I mean? That’s how I look at it. He’s not intimidating. One bit. And that’s it.”

He added of Muhammad’s apparent anger towards him: “I don’t get it. I don’t know where it’s coming from. I haven’t said much really apart from banter. For me it’s all banter. For him, he starts taking it deadly serious.

“I think everyone knows his game plan would be to come out and try wrestling, but even his wrestling ain’t all that, really. He ain’t a f*cking Khabib or like a GSP. He’s Belal.”