Kamaru Usman lost the welterweight title to champion Leon Edwards in an exciting five-round fight at UFC 286 in London.
Usman, who had lost his title in August 2022, entered the battle as a -425 favorite, while Leon was a +315 underdog.
“The Nigerian Nightmare” was knocked out late in the fifth round, Usman’s first loss inside the UFC.
The tables would be turned once more as Edwards executed a tactical masterpiece in order to defend his welterweight belt.
He was able to refute Usman’s takedown attempts and landed the more brutal shots to emerge as the dominant fighter as the match went on.
Despite a desperate fight at resurgence, Usman was left in defence mode as he was left at the mercy of Edwards’s superior striking kicks.
The 31-year-old British mixed martial artist came out on top after the five-round bout, with the three judges awarding him a score of 48-46, 48-46, and 47-47 in his favour.