Leon Edwards showed respect for Kamaru Usman after their trilogy fight at UFC 286.
Edwards silenced the doubters by defending the UFC welterweight championship with his second consecutive win against Usman. The fight was close, but ‘Rocky’ emerged victorious by majority decision (48-46 x2 and 47-47).
#UFC286 Official Scorecard: Leon Edwards (@Leon_edwardsmma) vs Kamaru Usman 👇
All Tonight’s Scorecards ➡️ https://t.co/q2HuGbflzB pic.twitter.com/lkZ8hTbQ66
— UFC News (@UFCNews) March 19, 2023
Since their second fight in August 2022, Edwards and Usman became heated rivals. Once the dust settled at UFC 286, the reigning welterweight champion buried the hatchet by saying this on Twitter:
“Big respect @USMAN84kg what a trilogy. Over 8 years we fought 13 rounds, over an hour together in the octagon and our rivalry will go down in history. Just pure competition at the highest level. I wish you and your family well ”
Edwards’ win on March 18 extended his unbeaten streak to eleven fights, with the only blemish being a no-contest against Belal Muhammad. It’s been a long journey for ‘Rocky,’ but he’s solidified his legacy by defending the 170-pound title.
Meanwhile, Usman’s future in the UFC is unclear. There were concerns about how he would bounce back from the devastating head kick loss against Edwards, and the result was disappointing, despite the fight being close. At 35 years old, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ must return to the drawing board and decide what’s next.
Take a look at Leon Edwards’ message to Kamaru Usman below:
Big respect @USMAN84kg what a trilogy. Over 8 years we fought 13 rounds, over an hour together in the octagon and our rivalry will go down in history. Just pure competition at the highest level. I wish you and your family well 👊🏾
— Leon 'Rocky' Edwards (@Leon_edwardsmma) March 19, 2023
Leon Edwards says fighting at UFC 286 was a ‘bucket list experience’
One of the storylines heading into UFC 286 was Leon Edwards having an advantage by fighting in London, England. The Birmingham resident has never lost when fighting in England, with the streak extended on Saturday night. After defeating Kamaru Usman by majority decision, Edwards had this to say on Instagram:
“What a incredible night. thank you for showing out for me, that was a bucket list experience last night at the 02 #andstill #headshotdead”
It didn’t take long for Edwards’ next title challenger to be revealed. During the UFC 286 post-fight press conference, Dana White announced that Colby Covington, who weighed in as the backup, will receive the next welterweight title shot. Covington last fought in March 2022, defeating Jorge Masvidal by unanimous decision. It’s unclear what the timeframe is for ‘Chaos’ vs. ‘Rocky.’
