UFC 278: Leon Edwards knocks out Kamaru Usman to win the welterweight belt
The MMA world was rocked to its core when Leon Edwards knocked Kamaru Usman out cold in the last minute of their world title bout at UFC 278. In a highly anticipated rematch that had been seven years in the making, Usman was comprehensively outpointing Edwards and seemed to be on his way to a unanimous decision victory.
But Edwards won the fight with a powerful head kick in the last minute of the fifth and final round. ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ was knocked out cold. With less than a minute remaining in the fight, Edwards smashed a head kick that blasted Usman and sent him falling to the mat. Usman was knocked out as he fell to the ground, while Edwards celebrated his historic victory as UFC welterweight champion.
HOLY S**T!!!! @LEON_EDWARDSMMA IS THE WW CHAMPION OF THE WORLD!!! #UFC278 pic.twitter.com/Ms9rwG1Ota
— UFC (@ufc) August 21, 2022
The ending was perhaps the finest and most dramatic in UFC history. It kept Usman from matching Anderson Silva’s UFC record of 16 straight wins, and it made Edwards the first champion in UFC history who was born in Jamaica.
THE BELT IS GOING BACK TO BIRMINGHAM! 🏆
[ @Leon_EdwardsMMA | #UFC278 ] pic.twitter.com/Fjif0J0P2N
— UFC (@ufc) August 21, 2022
UFC president Dana White told reporters:
“I thought Usman fought the perfect fight… I was listening to the commentary and Rogan and Anik and DC were dead on with everything they were saying Edwards should have been doing and needed to do, and as soon as they said it he landed the head kick.”
“You think of everything that was on the line for Usman tonight, and Usman fought with total confidence, he fought the perfect fight. It might not be the most fan-friendly style but he was landing big shots to the body, big shots to the head, he couldn’t have fought a more perfect fight until the last minute.”
“It’s what makes this sport the best sport in the world, that you can sit through four rounds and four minutes and that can happen, anything is possible in this sport. There are no lop-sided or ones-sided fights, anything his possible. I said people wouldn’t give Leon enough credit, he was a dangerous opponent.”
Kamaru Usman extended his appreciation to everyone who backed him on Twitter a day after the incident. Furthermore, Usman said that he was apprehended by ‘Rocky.’ In a message of hope, he promised to learn from his errors and return stronger. Usman shared a handful of images of himself with his daughter, along with the following statement:
“I am truly overwhelmed by all the support. I am ok, just got caught in the right spot. These things happen. We will learn from them and do what greatness requires”
I am truly overwhelmed by all the support. I am ok,just got caught in the right spot. These things happen. We will learn from them and do what greatness requires 👊🏿🌍🤴🏿🙏🏿 pic.twitter.com/H0S5V6ZawU
— KAMARU USMAN (@USMAN84kg) August 22, 2022