Leon Edwards’ head kick is no joke.
The shot heard around the world famously landed in the final minute of Edwards’ rematch with Kamaru Usman in Aug. 2022 at UFC 278. Edwards’ fifth round knockout (watch highlights) was his crowning moment, winning UFC’s Welterweight title in a brilliant comeback fashion.
Head kicks are some of the most lethal techniques in mixed martial arts (MMA), so it’s no surprise to see that it was the technique capable of shutting off Usman’s lights. UFC Welterweight prospect, Ian Garry, recently tasted the kick himself in training and expressed exactly how brutal it is, sharing that he had to visit the local hospital because of his “excruciating” face pain.
“What happened?” Garry’s wife, Layla, asked in an Instagram video (h/t The Mac Life). “She [the dentist] said it could be caused by trauma?”
“Yeah, she asked me what I did for a living,” Garry replied. “She said do you do any contact sports? No.
“Not only did you lie to the dentist, but you’re also avoiding telling the truth now” Layla responded.
“There’s no avoiding telling the truth,” Garry said. “It just doesn’t need to be told sometimes. I may — anyone watch the Leon Edwards [versus] Usman fight? Anyone know how that went? One of the best head kicks in the UFC. Yeah, I might have felt what that kick felt like, on Wednesday morning. So yeah, Leon, I’m blaming you for my tooth f—king pain.”
Ireland’s Garry, 24, is off to a good start in his early UFC career, winning his first three outings. UFC 276 in July 2022 marked the last appearance for Garry (10-0), defeating Gabriel Green via a unanimous decision. “The Future” doesn’t currently have a fight booked, but he’ll obviously need to let his head trauma heal before booking his senior Octagon bout.