Reigning UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman marked his return to action against Leon Edwards in the main event of UFC 278.
UFC 278: Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards
Round 1
Edwards with a kick to the body and Usman catches it. Lots of feints from Edwards to hold Usman off from offense. Nice jab from Usman to go for a takedown. Edwards goes down from a mistake. Usman gets on top and lays the ground and pound. Edwards tries to escape and gets to his feet. Usman has his back and is going for knee strikes. Edwards doing well to defend the takedown. Edwards reverses to get a takedown of his own. Edwards takes full mount and lays strikes from the top. Edwards takes Usman’s back and is going for a body triangle. Edwards goes for the rear-naked choke but Usman fights back. Edwards gets a grip but fails to hold on to it. Usman doing a good job of controlling the choke hand.
Round 2
Nice left hook from Usman. Edwards foes for a straight kick to the body. Usman goes for a combination to grapple. Stinging jab from Usman. Usman putting the pressure on Edwards with a flurry of punches. Nice jab from Usman. Edwards with an eye poke and official time out here. Usman with a low kick on the outside. They grapple momentarily before departing. Good straight left from Leon. Big body shots from both men. Nice straight right from Usman stings Edwards. Nice left hook from Edwards. Edwards goes for a takedown and gives up his neck. Usman trying to get a takedown here, controlling his neck. Edwards manages to get up. Big elbow by Usman. Nice counter strike from Edwards. Nasty body shots from the champ. Level change for Usman to secure a takedown.
Round 3
Usman softly feints the level change. Inside leg kick for Edwards. Good short left from Leon. Usman goes for the double leg and gets it. Ground and pound from the top for Usman. Leon gets up but Usman still has him against the fence as Usman digs more knee strikes through him. Edwards doing a good job to defend. Nice knee from Edwards to finish a good combo. Big shot to the body from Usman followed by another punch before getting a takedown. Usman looking for the back here. Usman holding Edwards down laying the ground and pound. Usman hits a nice left hook on the way up for Edwards.
Round 4
Usman with a nice jab. Edwards lands a nice inside low kick but eats a jab. Nice kick to the body by Edwards. They both clash and Edwards gets his back. Edwards trying to get a takedown from the side. Usman gets a takedown. Ground and pound from the champ with Edwards down. Usman doing well to keep Edwards down. Usman from the back landing knee strikes. Another takedown from Usman. Edwards gets out and Usman piling on the pressure here.
Round 5
Usman kept the pressure up with his combinations. He landed nice jabs and combinations to switch to takedown. Edwards connected with a few good strikes but made good use of his kicks. Usman appeared to be winning the round until Edwards delivered a vicious head kick to send Usman crashing to the mat.
Official Result: Leon Edwards defeats Kamaru Usman via KO (R5, 4:04)
Check out the highlights below:
No touch 👀 #UFC278 pic.twitter.com/w6sS2YLiDV
— UFC (@ufc) August 21, 2022
What a start for @Leon_EdwardsMMA! #UFC278 pic.twitter.com/MGeMVrr1zb
— UFC (@ufc) August 21, 2022
The first takedown of Kamaru Usman in the Octagon belongs to @Leon_EdwardsMMA! #UFC278 pic.twitter.com/DIgZVdqmFk
— UFC (@ufc) August 21, 2022
The round may be done, but @Usman84kg isn't 😤 #UFC278 pic.twitter.com/f5Lx6pkbZg
— UFC (@ufc) August 21, 2022
The fifth and final round starts NOW 🍿 #UFC278 pic.twitter.com/bKhyBXedpv
— UFC (@ufc) August 21, 2022
HOLY S**T!!!! @LEON_EDWARDSMMA IS THE WW CHAMPION OF THE WORLD!!! #UFC278 pic.twitter.com/Ms9rwG1Ota
— UFC (@ufc) August 21, 2022
STRUT IT OUT @LEON_EDWARDSMMA YOU JUST DID THAT! #UFC278 pic.twitter.com/SzNt89ux73
— UFC (@ufc) August 21, 2022
