Leon Edwards outpoints Kamaru Usman to retain welterweight title in nervy UFC 286 fundamental occasion

Leon Edwards edged previous Kamaru Usman at UFC 286 on Saturday, retaining the welterweight title at London’s O2 Enviornment in a nervy fundamental occasion.

Edwards dethroned the dominant Usman in August, gorgeous the Nigerian-American with a head-kick knockout with one minute left on the clock, after being managed for almost all of the bout. That consequence adopted the pair’s 2015 conflict, which Usman gained on factors with a snug exhibiting in opposition to the Jamaican-born Briton.

And so, followers had been left to guess this week whether or not Usman would be capable to out-grapple his successor once more en path to victory, or whether or not Edwards may conjure a second of martial arts magic as soon as extra.

Finally, below the daunting dome of the O2 – which reverberated with each roar from the London crowd – the rivals rounded out their trilogy with their best contest by far.

Thirty-one-year-old Edwards, utilizing quite a lot of calf kicks, indirect kicks and physique kicks, appeared to drag forward in a tense first two rounds, earlier than the enjoying subject appeared to degree out after Spherical 3. It was within the third body that Usman started to search out his grappling kind, whereas Edwards was docked some extent for holding the fence to face.

And Edwards appeared vulnerable to shedding additional factors, as referee Herb Dean warned him about holding the glove of Usman, who additionally complained of a number of alleged kicks to the groin.

Nevertheless, Edwards’ high quality held up the place his composure at instances faultered. Though a detailed fourth spherical left the consequence no clearer, the champion stood every time Usman was capable of safe takedowns, earlier than Edwards produced a formidable last body at a vital juncture.

“Rocky” denied his challenger a number of takedowns, whereas intermittently stinging the 35-year-old with uppercuts and leg kicks, as Usman continued to press ahead in pursuit of a decisive second.

Finally, Edwards was named a majority-decision winner, with the judges’ scorecards studying 48-46, 48-46, 48-48.

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