Leon Edwards defeated Kamaru Usman in 5 rounds
On the morning of March 19, the UFC 286 event took place with the focus on the welterweight title match between Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman. Before that, the two sides had met twice in the past with the victory divided equally between each boxer.
Already knowing each other well, Edwards and Usman both started off cautiously. The highlight in the first half came mainly from Edwards’ heavy foot attacks.
Edwards has 50 leg hits for the whole game
Needless to say, Edwards has improved significantly since the last time the two met head-to-head. The champion moves efficiently, resists, and defends well on the floor. This makes Usman difficult to reach.
Usman played best in the 3rd half, having a successful knockdown and creating an active game. In this round, Edwards also lost one point due to a cage error. In addition to this situation, referee Herb Dean had to stop the competition 3 times to remind Edwards (two kicks, one glove).
Usman can’t take advantage of wrestling attacks
Edwards regained his tempo in the fourth round, continuing to make effective use of his footwork. In the whole match, Edwards had 50 kicks on target, surpassing the opponent’s number 6.
The 5th half decided, Usman tried to bring the match to the floor but failed. On the opposite side, Edwards did not show impatience, launching a series of accurate counterattacks.
Edwards has the upper hand in hit hits over Usman
Statistics show that after 25 minutes of competition, Edwards owns 120 effective shots and Usman only 81. In return, the former king owns 4 successful phases, controlling the floor in 5 minutes.
In the end, the victory by majority score went to Edwards (48-46, 48-46, 47-47). With this result, the championship belt stays with the British boxer. ‘I deserve this result. I hit more accurately, I did well against his wrestling moves,’ Edwards shared after the match.
Edwards’ joy of victory
In another notable draw at UFC 286, Justin Gaethje defeated Rafael Fiziev by score (29–28, 29–28, 28–28). This competition was later also awarded the title of ‘Fight of the Night’ by the UFC with a prize of $50,000 for each fighter.