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Leon Edwards confident ahead of UFC 286 fight with Kamaru Usman: ‘I can’t see how he beats me in London’

Undisputed UFC welterweight champion, Leon Edwards remains supremely confident of retaining his division crown in March at UFC 286 against Kamaru Usman, claiming he sees no route in which the Auchi native comes to London and defeats him at The O2 Arena. Edwards, who headlines UFC 286 on March 18. in a trilogy rubber match […]

Edwards, who headlines UFC 286 on March 18. in a trilogy rubber match against Usman, managed to avenge a 2015 loss in August of last year, clinching the welterweight crown with a stunning, rallying fifth round high kick KO of Usman in Salt Lake City.

The Birmingham native had been linked with a slew of potential first title defense opponents following his win over Usman, with the Nigeria native dealing with a hand injury in the months following his first promotional loss.

Leon Edwards supremely confident ahead of UFC 286 title defense

However, now slated to headline UFC 286 on March 18. against the Trevor Wittman trainee, Edwards, who noted his undefeated record whilst fighting in London, maintained Usman would not be able to come to enemy territory and take the championship from him.

“To beat the pound-for-pound [number one] on your worst night, I think that’s one of my worst performances as far as career-wise goes in the UFC,” Leon Edwards said during a Q&A session. “To be able to still stay calm under that going into the fifth round and to get the KO. I think that shows character from me. That shows my mental I.Q. for the fight game, as far as knowing when to land that shot.”

“I think taking all that into the fight, it’s going to be a good night for me,” Leon Edwards continued. “I know he’s (Kamaru Usman) tough, I know he’s good – I’m not deluded. I know he’s a good fighter, but I truly believe that I’m better and I can’t see how he comes over and beats me in London.”

Edwards and Usman take main event honors at UFC 286, with a lightweight clash between former interim division titleholder, Justin Gaethje, and the surging, Rafael Fiziev slated to co-headline in London.

Leon Edwards open to future title fight with Conor McGregor: ‘It would be a massive fight for Europe’

Ahead of his upcoming UFC 286 title rubber match with Kamaru Usman, undisputed welterweight champion, Leon Edwards has weighed up a potential future fight with Paradigm Sports Management stablemate, Conor McGregor, remaining open to a clash if the Dubliner racks up an eye-catching welterweight win. Edwards, the current undisputed welterweight champion, is slated to headline […]

Edwards, the current undisputed welterweight champion, is slated to headline UFC 286 on March 18. from The O2 Arena in London, clashing with the Auchi native, Usman in their trilogy rubber match.

Headlining UFC 278 back in August of last year against Usman in the pair’s rematch – clinching the undisputed welterweight crown with a spectacular fifth round rallying high kick knockout win over the former pound-for-pound number one.

Leon Edwards welcomes future title fight with Conor McGregor

Welcoming the opportunity to fight former undisputed lightweight and featherweight titleholder, McGregor in the future, Edwards claims the bout would be monumental for Europe, but maintains the former first needs to snap his losing skid.

“If Conor (McGregor) comes back and gets a good win at welterweight, then it’s a fight I’d more than welcome,” Leon Edwards told TalkSPORT during a recent interview. “It would be a massive fight for Europe – a massive fight for everyone.”

“Let him (Conor McGregor) come back, get a good win at welterweight and then we can talk from there,” Leon Edwards explained.

Without a victory since a 2020 knockout win over Donald Cerrone at the welterweight limit, McGregor has suffered back-to-back stoppage losses to former interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier – the second of which via a July 2021 doctor’s stoppage after he fractured his left tibia and fibula.

Linked with multiple fights ahead of an expected return to the UFC later this year, the 34-year-old striker has maintained he would like to make a welterweight division walk in his first Octagon appearance since his leg injury.

Ariel Helwani Criticizes How UFC Broke Leon Edwards/Kamaru Usman 3 News

MMA reporter Ariel Helwani was less than impressed with how the UFC announced the upcoming trilogy fight between welterweight titleholder Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman. The post-fight press conference at this month’s UFC Vegas 67 event certainly wasn’t short on major announcements. Most notably, it saw confirmation that Francis Ngannou has been stripped of the…

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Leon Edwards roots for rival Jorge Masvidal to set up UFC title fight with win: ‘He just keeps losing’

Reigning UFC welterweight champion, Leon Edwards may have a trilogy title rubber match against former champion, Kamaru Usman awaiting him at UFC 286 on March 18., however, ahead of his homecoming, he has urged arch-rival, Jorge Masvidal to once more score a victory to set up the pair’s grudge match. Edwards, the current undisputed welterweight […]

Edwards, the current undisputed welterweight champion, is slated to headline UFC 286 on March 18. against two-time foe, Usman at The O2 Arena in London – attempting to secure his first successful defense of 170lbs gold.

The Birmingham native managed to avenge his defeat to Usman back in 2015 with a stunning, fifth round high-kick KO back in August of last year, handing the Auchi native his first promotional loss, knocking him from the pound-for-pound number one perch, and minting himself as the welterweight champion.

Leon Edwards chomps at bit for Jorge Masvidal grudge match

However, ahead of their rubber clash in two months’ time, Edwards has sights on eventually settling his score with Miami veteran, Masvidal for undisputed gold, having shared a rivalry with the latter since an infamous backstage brawl in 2019 post-UFC London.

“I don’t like him (Jorge Masvidal) that much, but I’m rooting for him to win so I can fight him,” Leon Edwards told Michael Bisping on the Believe You Me podcast. “He just keeps losing so it’s hard to make the fight make sense. I even said if he went out there and fought in like December, January – (fight) Gilbert (Burns) or somebody, beat one of them, then I’ll fight you in March.”

“Then (Kamaru) Usman in the summer or something, let him rest his hands a bit I’ll fight you in March, but he didn’t even do that,” Leon Edwards explained. “We’ll see. Skillset-wise, it’s two different levels. His career is doing that, mine’s doing this. It’s hard to make the fight make sense right now. But that’s a fight I need to happen and want to happen.”

In the midst of a three-fight losing run which includes back-to-back title challenge losses to common-foe, Usman – the latter of which in a brutal one-punch KO loss, Masvidal has yet to return to active competition since dropping a unanimous decision loss to rival, Colby Covington back in March of last year.

Justin Gaethje Vs. Rafael Fiziev Reportedly Set For UFC 286

A lightweight bout between Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev is close to being finalized for UFC 286 in London. The news was first reported by ESPN’s Brett Okamoto during UFC Vegas 67, which was the promotion’s first event of 2023. The matchup bet…

Continue Reading Justin Gaethje Vs. Rafael Fiziev Reportedly Set For UFC 286 at MMA News.

Report – Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev targeted for UFC 286 on March 18. in London

A high-stakes lightweight fight between former interim division champion, the #3 ranked contender, Justin Gaethje, and surging challenger, the #6 rated, Rafael Fiziev is close to being finalized for UFC 286 on March 18. from The O2 Arena in London, England. Gaethje, a former interim 155lbs champion under the banner of the UFC, headlined UFC […]

Gaethje, a former interim 155lbs champion under the banner of the UFC, headlined UFC 274 most recently back in May of last year in Phoenix, Arizona – suffering a first round rear-naked choke loss to former undisputed champion, Charles Oliveira.

For Fiziev, the streaking Tiger Muay Thai staple recorded his sixth consecutive victory under the UFC banner back in July of last year in a main event slot against former undisputed champion, Rafael dos Anjos, securing a fifth round KO win.

ESPN MMA reporter, Brett Okamoto confirmed the bout between Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev was expected for UFC 286 on March 18 tonight.

“London. Justin Gaethje (@Justin_Gaethje) vs. Rafael Fiziev (@RafaelFiziev) is nearly finalized for UFC 286 on March 18. Nos. 3 and 6 at lightweight to meet. What a fight.”

London. Justin Gaethje (@Justin_Gaethje) vs. Rafael Fiziev (@RafaelFiziev) is nearly finalized for UFC 286 on March 18. Nos. 3 and 6 at lightweight to meet. What a fight. pic.twitter.com/GtKSouskku

— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) January 15, 2023

Justin Gaethje defeated Tony Ferguson in 2020 to win interim lightweight gold

Clinching the interim UFC lightweight title back in 2020, Gaethje snapped the division-best winning spree of fellow former interim gold holder, Tony Ferguson at 12 straight fights – courtesy of a fifth round TKO win.

Failing to successfully unify the lightweight titles against the now-retired, Khabib Nurmagomedov in September of that year in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Gaethje returned to defeat Michael Chandler at UFC 268 in November 2021 before his title challenge loss to Oliveira last May.

Prior to his UFC debut back in 2017, Gaethje was a former WSOF (now PFL) lightweight champion, and has landed other Octagon wins over the likes of Donald Cerrone, and Edson Barboza to boot.

Embarking on an impressive winning spree since dropping his UFC debut loss to Magomed Mustafaev, Fiziev has landed victories over the quarter of Renato Moicano, Bobby Green, Brad Riddell, and the aforenoted, dos Anjos in the last two years.

UFC 286 takes place on March 18. from The O2 Arena in London, England – with an official main event bout for the card yet to be determined by the organization.