UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards will attempt to defend his title against former champ Kamaru Usman in the main event of UFC 286 on Saturday night. The trilogy fight will take place at The O2 Arena in London, England.
The two fought twice before, with Usman winning the first by unanimous decision in December 2015 before Edwards won it in August last year. This time around, Edwards is aiming to put a stop to Usman’s winning streak.
Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3
UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards is set to defend his title against former champion Kamaru Usman in an epic trilogy fight this Saturday at London’s O2 Arena. It’s a fight which has divided many fans, with the British bruiser looking to secure an unbeaten record against the Nigerian.
The two men first met at UFC 278 last year, where Edwards snatched the title away from Usman with a spectacular head kick in the dying moments of the fifth round. It was a dramatic finish which shocked the MMA world and this clash is set to go down as one of the most thrilling in history.
Despite his loss to Edwards, Usman has remained one of the most dominant fighters in MMA history and has won 19 straight matches, including each of his first 14 at the UFC level. He’s also won all five of his MMA welterweight title defenses, which includes his lone defeat to Edwards, in 2015.
As for Edwards, he’s a welterweight who loves the ground and pound, which has made him a popular pick against a more well-rounded opponent like Usman. Besides a takedown in the first round of their first match, Usman controlled Edwards for most of the bout on the mat.
In their second match, Edwards out-landed Usman at a distance in only one round (27-17), but he was able to control him for more than 40% of the fight on the mat. He also won the clinch, where he had a 15-7 margin.
As for Edwards, he’s an experienced welterweight who has won all his fights by knockout or submission, including his lone win over Usman in the rematch. He’s also a fighter who isn’t afraid to use his grappling skills, which has allowed him to beat the likes of Diego Sanchez and Tyron Woodley. He’s also an excellent counter-grappler and is known for his ability to get into an enticing submission battle. That makes him a good pick in this battle, especially at +112 on the 2-way line.
Co-Main Event
Leon Edwards will be defending his welterweight title for the first time when he takes on Kamaru Usman in the co-main event at UFC 286. This is a big trilogy fight, rematch, and high-stakes affair between the two ranked fighters in the world.
It was a long time ago that the two met, but in December 2015, Edwards came out on top when he knocked out Usman with a head kick to win the title. Since then, Usman has won the belt and held it for months, but he lost it to Edwards in August of last year.
The loss was a devastating blow to Usman, but it also provided a valuable lesson for him about the pitfalls of championship success and how to stay on top. That’s what makes it so important for him to get back to winning.
He’s learned from his past mistakes, so he’s ready to make the necessary adjustments in this third matchup. He also understands the stress that comes with being a welterweight champion, which is why he’s prepared to put in the work to become one again.
While there is no shortage of talent at the UFC’s 170-pound division, Edwards and Usman are both well-rounded fighters with a wide range of skill sets. They’ll be battling in a highly competitive and entertaining fight that’s bound to produce plenty of fireworks.
The UFC 286 card is stacked with exciting fighters, including fan favorites Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev in the co-main event. It also features a trio of Octagon veterans, including Gunnar Nelson and Marvin Vettori.
You can listen to the prelims on ESPN and SiriusXM beginning at 1 p.m. ET on Friday, March 18. You can also watch the full event on UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+.
The UFC returns to London for the first time in a year as Edwards and Usman put their titles on the line in a trilogy fight. The UFC is also bringing the show back to the O2 Arena where it had previously staged two massive Fight Nights last year. The event will feature an early prelims card and the main event, which will be live on UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+.
Preliminary Fights
In the main event of UFC 286, welterweight champion Leon Edwards defends his title against Kamaru Usman in a rematch of last August’s fight. Both men are unbeaten in their past 11 bouts, with Edwards holding a perfect record at 2-0 against Usman in their MMA career.
Both Edwards and Usman are 6-foot tall, and Edwards is 192 pounds, two more pounds than the Nigerian fighter. Both men have a 76-inch reach, although Usman’s is slightly better than Edwards’.
The welterweight division is full of exciting and talented fighters, and Edwards vs. Usman 3 is set to be an action-packed showdown.
In addition to the main event, UFC 286 will also feature a pair of clashes between welterweights. In the co-main, Justin Gaethje will square off against Rafael Fiziev in a lightweight battle. This is Gaethje’s first fight since he defeated Charles Oliveira at UFC on Fox in December of 2018.
As for the women’s division, Jennifer Maia will face Casey O’Neill in a flyweight fight. Maia has been battling back from back-to-back losses, but she’s on a hot streak and could prove herself once again in this matchup.
Lastly, we’ll see Conor McGregor’s long-time teammate Gunnar Nelson make his London debut against Bryan Barberena in an action-packed welterweight battle. Nelson was a winner over Takashi Sato in March and will be looking to get his streak started again in London.
With so many fantastic fights on the card, there’s something for every MMA fan at UFC 286. So, if you’re a fan of the sport, be sure to check out all of the preliminary fights.
You can watch all of the UFC 286 preliminary fights live on Kayo and Foxtel, as well as ESPN+. The main event will be on BT Sport Box Office in the UK and ESPN in America. You can also follow the action live on social media with #UFC286.
Final Fights
The UFC is back in London for its first PPV in seven years, and welterweight champion Leon Edwards is making a return home to defend his title against former champ Kamaru Usman in a trilogy fight. This is the third time that these two have met in the octagon, and it’s a high-stakes matchup for both fighters.
Edwards is a 20-3-0 veteran who has an impressive 11-fight winning streak. The Jamaican-born fighter won the welterweight title in August of last year after he beat Usman in the fifth round at UFC 278 with a devastating head kick that flattened The Nigerian Nightmare.
Usman has also been an outstanding welterweight competitor, with a 17-fight unbeaten streak that includes wins over Colby Covington (twice), Jorge Masvidal, and Tyron Woodley. He has successfully defended his title five times, and it will be interesting to see if he can do it again in a trilogy battle against Edwards.
Regardless of whether the matchup ends in a draw or a victory, it will be an exciting final fight for both men. Expect to see some action-packed wrestling and plenty of punching.
On the card, there will also be a number of other notable names. In the co-main event, fan-favorite Justin Gaethje will look to get back on track against Rafael Fiziev. In addition, there will be a women’s flyweight fight between Jennifer Maia and Casey O’Neill, as well as a middleweight contest between Marvin Vettori and Roman Dolidze.
For a full breakdown of every fight on the UFC 286 card, be sure to check out MMA Fighting’s complete coverage of the event. We’ll have live blogs and results from all the main card fights, and more from The O2 Arena in London, England.
The fight card features 15 fights, including the welterweight title fight between Edwards and Usman in the main event. In the co-main event, Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev will square off in a lightweight matchup. Other notable bouts include Gunnar Nelson vs. Bryan Barberena at welterweight, and Jennifer Maia vs. Casey O’Neill at women’s flyweight.
