Nigerian UFC fighter Kamaru Usman fails to reclaim belt from Leon Edwards in their trilogy encounter
Nigerian UFC fighter Kamaru Usman failed to reclaim the welterweight title after losing to Leon Edwards in five rounds at UFC 286 in London.
The 31-year-old Briton edged out former champion Kamaru Usman in their points trilogy encounter. It was a close game but Edwards landed the cleanest shots. The British fighter emerged victorious, with all three judges scoring it 48-46, 48-46 and 47-47 in his favour.
He was rewarded for punishing Usman with a barrage of leg kicks, slowing down the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’, who advanced in his usual suffocating style, but that march became more of an obstacle the more he was sliced.
The fight at the O2 Arena has been billed as the biggest British MMA fight in history.
Edwards picked up a shock win over Usman in August where he avenged a 2015 loss to the 35-year-old Nigerian. The victory makes him the second British UFC champion and the first since Michael Bisping in 2016.
After the loss, Kamaru Usman praised Edwards for his accomplishments calling him a “great champion”.
He also noted that he had done enough to win, but admitted it was close.
Usman told BT Sport: “I think I did enough to win the fight but I knew it was close.
“He had a great game plan. I always said from the beginning that we would see each other again and I have not finished. We’ll see each other again.
“I’ve always given him props for what he’s done. He is a brother like me and a great respect. London, you have a great champion.
Asked about his plans to return to the octagon, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’, Usman who has now lost back to back fights said, “Not too long. I will come back with my coaches. I’m one of those guys, I can’t sit still for too long.
“I’m going to spend time with my daughter. You can look at us, but you don’t know what we have to sacrifice to be here. We put it on the lines every time,” he added.
