UFC 286: Edwards vs Usman 3: Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman will meet for the third time in their careers this weekend. However, the two will compete in the UK this time, at the O2 Arena, in London. So ahead of their trilogy bout, we look back at previous UFC events in the UK and rank the top five UFC events in the UK. Follow UFC 286: Edwards vs Usman LIVE Streaming updates with Insidesport.IN.
READ ALSO: UFC 286: Edwards vs Usman 3- Five Fights to Look Out for on the Leon Edwards vs Kamaru Usman Card
The UFC first came to the UK in 2002 with the ‘Brawl in the Hall’ event at Royal Albert Hall. This was arguably one of the best events in the UK as Mark Weir knocked out Eugene Jackson in 10 seconds to get the fastest knockout at the time, while local hero Ian Freeman beat then-undefeated Frank Mir in the first round. Since then, there have been 25 more events in the UK.
UFC 286: Edwards vs Usman 3- Five Best UFC Events in the UK
Top 5 UFC events in the UK ahead of UFC 286: Edwards vs Usman 3
5. UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs Aspinall:
This may be a little recency bias, but last year’s UFC event at the O2 Arena between Alexander Volkov and Tom Aspinall was one of the best. With a crowd of over 17,000 and the fighters on the show, the atmosphere was nothing short of electric. Moreover, the performances and the action inside the cage backed it up.
4. UFC Fight Night: Till vs Masvidal:
The 2019 UFC event between Darren Till and Jorge Masvidal was another classic. The drama surrounding the event, the upset in the main event, the post-fight altercation between Leon Edwards and Masvidal, and the 16,000 fans in attendance made this one of the best.
3. UFC Fight Night: Silva vs Bisping:
In 2016, Anderson Silva took on Michael Bisping at the O2 Arena in London. The two had a few verbal battles leading up to the fight. However, once in the octagon, Bisping and Silva put on a show. Ultimately, Bisping beat Silva by a unanimous decision in front of over 16,000 passionate fans. Many consider this as one of the great upsets.
2. UFC 105: Couture vs Vera:
In 2009, Randy Couture took on Brandon Vera in the light-heavyweight division. The event was a great success, as they attracted the highest crowd for a UFC event in the UK at that point. Over 16,600 fans attended the event. They got to witness two close fights in the main and co-main events, while a young Michael Bisping delivered a vicious knockout on the main card.
1. UFC 204: Bisping vs Henderson 2:
Easily number one on the list of UFC events in the UK has to be the bad-blooded rivalry between Michael Bisping and Dan Henderson. Bisping was arguably the biggest British star in the UFC, and he even had the middleweight belt when they first met. However, Henderson surprised everyone and beat Bisping.
Therefore, the rematch at the Manchester Arena was nothing short of a blockbuster event. The two went toe-to-toe for five rounds, and ultimately Bisping took home a unanimous decision in front of 16,000 fans. However, the drama, the rivalry, and the hype surrounding this event make it the best UFC event in the UK.
So there is our list. Where do you think UFC 286: Edwards vs Usman 3 will rank on the list of top UFC events in the UK?
Follow UFC 286: Edwards vs Usman LIVE Streaming updates with Insidesport.IN.
