UFC Leon Edwards upset over Kamaru Usman may change the entire scope of the sport forever. In UFC 278, Usman was knocked out by Edward during the fifth round of the bout, according to Alex Ballentine for Bleacher Report. As of now, Edwards is the new UFC welterweight champion. Edwards stunned the crowd when he successfully performed a takedown on Usman, which’s never been done prior.
USMAN GETS TAKEN DOWN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS CAREER 😳
Stream #UFC278 NOW ▶️ https://t.co/pxRev9nc4A pic.twitter.com/soH2wGxIyG
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) August 21, 2022
Many have never seen Usman in such a vulnerable position prior to this match. Naturally, shocking thousands and even furthering people’s expectations Edward’s almost secured rear naked choke as the round came to a close. We’ve seen champions have bad nights and even get upset in the past. However, Usman was dominated by Edwards which appeared to be concerning to many. Nonetheless, in the second round, Usman appeared to gain life and slowly regain momentum. In fact, it began looking like Usman would cruise or find a way to win the match even after having moments of weakness.
What’s the Future of the UFC look like?
With Usman being knocked out with a stunning left-high kick to the head that ended Usman’s night and title reign leaves many asking, “what does the scope of the welterweight division look like?”
What a knockout by Leon Edwards… Usman went down like a log 🪵 #UFC278 pic.twitter.com/V6tPcfqNXN
— Njabulo Vilakazi (@nj1vilakazi) August 21, 2022
UFC announcer Joe Rogan’s expressions describe what thousands did once they saw the knockout.
Joe Rogan is everyone right now #UFC278 pic.twitter.com/uFVoQFxZRb
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) August 21, 2022
Edwards gets the sweet taste of revenge, as well as, all the bragging rights and title. In 2015, these two faced off and Usman won by unanimous decision on his run to become the champion.
Many don’t know much about Edwards and many have questions regarding his swagger. Edwards has yet to prove he can carry the face of the sport on his shoulders. He must defend the title several times or people will begin to believe this match was a fluke.
“He has been a strong champion, and it’s common in combat sports like boxing or MMA to grant a rematch to someone who has successfully defended the belt or shown dominance. Therefore, I can definitely see myself doing it again,” he told reporters prior to the fight.
Some potential fights that may occur for Edwards are Khamzat Chimaev and a trilogy with Usman.
