Kamaru Usman was well on his method to a 6th title protection as well as a record-tying 16th straight UFC win last summertime. He was the indisputable ideal pound-for-pound competitor in the world as well as regarding one min far from one more distinction that would certainly rise him right into a conversation regarding the best boxers of perpetuity.
And Afterwards Leon Edwards split Usman upside the head with a left kick. Much less than one minute from a certain loss, Edwards drew a Hail storm Mary, completing the leading champ at UFC 278. It was a magnificent return, the very best ko of 2022, as well as it won Edwards the UFC welterweight title. Usman had actually currently defeated Edwards when 7 years previously. And now, with the risks at their highest possible, Edwards evened the rating.
Edwards as well as Usman will certainly fulfill for a 3rd time Saturday generally occasion of UFC 286 in London. Edwards’ welterweight title– the one Usman held for greater than 3 years– will certainly get on the line. ESPN has Usman placed No. 4 as well as Edwards placed No. 7 in its pound-for-pound mixed martial arts positions.
Edwards (20-3, 1 NC) is unbeaten in 11 straight battles. He has actually not shed given that Usman beat him through consentaneous choice in 2015. Edwards, 31, is the very first Jamaican-born champ in UFC background as well as has gain Rafael dos Anjos, Nate Diaz, Donald Cerrone as well as Vicente Luque.
Usman (20-2) last endured a loss prior to the Edwards battle in 2013, simply his 2nd profession professional spell. The Nigerian-born competitor that educates out of Colorado had 2 success each over Colby Covington as well as Jorge Masvidal throughout his title power. Usman, 35, beat Tyron Woodley by consentaneous choice to win the champion at UFC 235 in March 2019.
In the co-main occasion Saturday, previous acting light-weight champ Justin Gaethje will certainly handle the promisingRafael Fiziev Gaethje (23-4), a 34-year-old from Arizona, has actually won 5 of his previous 7 battles, with those 2 losses being available in spells for the UFC light-weight belt. Fiziev (12-1), a 30-year-old Kazakh-born competitor completing out of Florida, has actually won 6 straight UFC battles.
Likewise on the card, females’s flyweight possibility Casey O’Neill returns from knee surgical procedure to encounter previous title opposition Jennifer Maia, Gunnar Nelson handles Bryan Barberena in a welterweight spell, as well as previous middleweight title opposition Marvin Vettori satisfies Roman Dolidze.
Adhere to along as Brett Okamoto, Marc Raimondi as well as Jeff Wagenheim summarize all the activity, or watch the fights on ESPN+ PPV.
