UFC 278 – Leon Edwards hands Kamaru Usman a painful defeat in round five

After the Nigerian nightmare, Kamaru Usman largely dominated the fight, Leon Edwards delivered a head kick in the last moments, to get his revenge after suffering a unanimous decision loss to Usman at UFC in December 2015 and became the second British titleholder in UFC history, joining Michael Bisping.

It was a result that stopped Kamaru Usman from making history, with the Briton claiming the welterweight title; Edwards prevented Usman from tying Anderson Silva’s record for most consecutive octagon victories(16).

With just one minute left on the clock and many already writing the obituary of his title shot, Edwards feinted forwards and drew Usman into a lean to his right where he was unceremoniously dispatched with a shin bone across the jaw. Referee Herb Dean didn’t even have to haul Edwards off Usman, everyone knew from the reaction and contact that it was a one-shot kill.

In the opening round, it looked as though Leon Edwards would seize it with both hands, he managed to take Usman down, it was the first time the champion had ever been put on his back.

There was the faint threat of submission but time expired and Usman came roaring back into the contest in the second.

Kamaru Usman’s relentless forward pressure meant Edwards had to fight with his back against the cage and was unable to answer to multiple takedowns and gruelling grappling exchanges.

The third and fourth followed a similar pattern and although Edwards was never in danger of being finished, one clear winner was heading into the fifth.

So with the clock winding down and just under a minute remaining, the head kick that will be replayed from here to eternity found a home with absolute precision.

On becoming the new UFC welterweight champion, Edwards said, “I feel great. They all said I couldn’t do it, they all said I couldn’t do it. Look at me now.

“It doesn’t matter. From the trenches, I’m built like this, I go until the final bell. Pound-for-pound, headshot, dead.

“I told you we could win a belt from the UK, now look at me; there is no pound-for-pound, the belt belongs to nobody.

“I told you, mum, I’d change our lives. World champion, world champion, look at me now. I was born in Jamaica with nothing, I lived in a wood shack with a zinc roof.” Edward added as he gloriously stepped out of the cage.