Edwards stunned the crowd in the first round of the fight, when he became the first person to take Usman down in his career
By Kehinde Okeowo
Britain’s Leon Edwards avenged his 2015 defeat in the hands of UFC champion, Kamaru Usman in the UFC 278 main event at the Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, USA on Sunday morning.
Seven years ago, Usman outpointed Edwards as part of what became a 19-fight win streak for the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’, earning him the title of UFC’s pound-for-pound king.
The Jamaica-born Briton, however, stunned the crowd in the first round when he became the first person to take Usman down.
He utilized a trip from the clinch to put the champion on the mat and actually worked towards getting a rear-naked choke before the first bell rang
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The Nigerian Nightmare wasted no time in bouncing back in the second round. He scored early in the period with boxing combinations that put the challenger against the fence
Edwards fired back some strikes of his own, but Usman started mixing in the wrestling and started looking like the usual juggernaut fans are used to seeing.
It appeared as if Usman was going to cruise to another title defense when Edwards knocked out the champion with a stunning left high kick that immediately ended Usman’s night and title reign
After the match an emotional new UFC welterweight champion, Edwards said, “I feel great. They all said I couldn’t do it, they all said I couldn’t do it. Look at me now.
“It doesn’t matter. From the trenches. I’m built like this. I go until the final bell. Pound-for-pound, head shot, dead.
“I told you we could win a belt from the UK, now look at me. There is no pound-for-pound, the belt belongs to nobody.
“I told you, mum, I’d change our lives. World champion, world champion, look at me now. I was born in Jamaica with nothing. I lived in a wood shack with a zinc roof.”
