The UFC Fight Night main event between Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad ended in a no-contest after Edwards landed an accidental eye poke at 0:18 of the second round on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Muhammad writhed in pain after the foul and was unable to continue.

"I didn't mean to do it," Edwards said in his postfight interview. "I went for the cross head kick, he stepped into it, and I really apologize. I would rather a loss than that. I'm just heartbroken."

Edwards had a strong start to the contest, keeping Muhammad at bay with his reach and stunning him with a punch in the first round. The British fighter displayed good pressure and a solid jab.

The No. 3-ranked welterweight stepped into the Octagon for the first time since a July 2019 win over Rafael dos Anjos, ending a 20-month layoff. He showed no signs of ring rust against Muhammad.

Edwards faced several bout cancellations in 2020 and earlier in 2021 due to COVID-19.

"It's been a long year and a half - a lot of ups and downs," Edwards said. "And to come back to this, I just don't know what to say."

UFC president Dana White indicated this week that a win over Muhammad would earn Edwards a title shot. "Rocky" believes he still deserves that opportunity despite the no-contest result.

"I've worked my way back up from getting defeated by Kamaru Usman (in 2015)," Edwards said on the postfight show. "I have fought everybody, I have offered to fight everybody. I feel I deserve a title shot now."

Muhammad stepped in on short notice after Khamzat Chimaev withdrew due to lingering COVID-19 symptoms. He had a big opportunity in front of him as the No. 13-ranked welterweight facing a top contender. The 32-year-old would've entered the title conversation had he pulled off the upset.

Muhammad wrote on Twitter there's no permanent damage to his eye and that he wants to face Edwards again.

Edwards said he doesn't think a rematch is necessary because of how the fight was playing out.

"The writing was on the wall," he said at the postfight press conference. "I was winning the fight clearly."

Heading into Saturday's main event, Edwards was riding an eight-fight winning streak. Muhammad had won four in a row.