UFC 286: Leon Edwards will defend his welterweight title for the first time against former champion Kamaru Usman. And as the two prepare for another classic, we look back at the previous two meetings between Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman and see how those fights ended. For more combat sports news, follow Insidesport.IN.
While the second fight between the two went viral for Edwards’ last grasp finish, it is easy to forget that Usman and Edwards met once before in the UFC. This was before Usman or Edwards were household names in the sport. So, let’s see what happened in the first two fights as they prepare for the trilogy.
UFC 286: Who Won the First Two Fights Between Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards? Check UFC 286 Preview
UFC 286: Who won the first fight between Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards?
Usman and Edwards first met in 2015, on the prelims of Rafael Dos Anjos vs Donald Cerrone 2. The first round was close as both Usman and Edwards showed signs of their brilliance. While Usman shot for several takedowns, Edwards managed to shut down most of them and land some of his own shots.
However, the second and third rounds brought more trouble for Edwards. Usman showed his class and incredible gas tank. The Nigerian Nightmare dominated the next two rounds and even almost got a finish toward the end of the final round. Ultimately, Kamaru Usman beat Leon Edwards by a unanimous decision in their first fight.
UFC 286: Who won the second fight between Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards?
The second fight between Usman and Edwards took place at UFC 278 with much higher stakes than the first. This time Usman held the undisputed welterweight title and Edwards was on a 8-fight win streak. And the fight lived up to the hype.
Both Usman and Edwards left everything in the octagon. And despite the Englishman’s best efforts, Usman got the better of him and led on all scorecards. The former champion was well on his way to another unanimous decision thanks to his wrestling-heavy approach.
However, Edwards pulled the rabbit out of the hat when he landed the perfect head kick with less than ten seconds left. This knocked Usman out cold and Edwards fulfilled his dream of becoming the undisputed UFC champion.
So, this leaves the script in the ideal position for the trilogy on April 8. Who do you think will come out on top at UFC 286?
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