Leon Edwards’ persistent kicks helped him manage risk vs. reward and ultimately prove successful over 25 minutes during his first welterweight title defence against Kamaru Usman in their London headliner, after Justin Gaethje’s impressive majority decision win over Rafael Fiziev in the night’s co-main event sees The Highlight inch ever closer to another championship charge at 155lbs.
Edwards outpoints Usman in trilogy bout
48-46, 48-46, 47-47: Leon Edwards (c) bt. Kamaru Usman [1] via majority decision, makes first successful UFC welterweight title defence
There was plenty of feinting by both early on, understandably tentative for the challenger but Leon Edwards was throwing some kicks aplenty to establish himself with a solid R1.
Referee Herb Dean warned the champion for grabbing the glove late in the round, as Usman tried to secure success with the 31-year-old’s back up against the fence.
Early in the second, Usman complained of a low blow and just looked irritable.
He absorbed a big knee and wobbled backwards, then landed a sharp jab and secured a takedown against the cage, though Edwards did well to return to the feet on two separate occasions.
Probably 1-1 through ten minutes and being fought at a furious pace, Usman completed another takedown before Dean deducted a point for blatant fencegrab as Edwards tried to stop himself going down to the canvas once more.
Warned for another low blow as his barrage of kicks continued, Edwards’ tactic of making Kamaru worry about what kick was coming next looked to set-up the same head kick he won the title with.
Edwards briefly dropped Usman with a kick and looked to secure a choke, before a scramble to the fence saw them separate once more as a graphic showed the Brit had amassed his career-high for significant strikes just from kicks (prev: 28, 39 through R4).
Staunch takedown defence from the champion was key during the penultimate round, though both were tired and looked vulnerable for different reasons heading into the fifth.
Edwards landed a series of significant strikes early in the fifth: an uppercut, elbow over the top, two big knees and a head kick – all of which would’ve wilted most other opponents.
Usman, bloodied mouth and all, kept shooting for takedowns and pressed forward as the London crowd loudly cheered in celebration every time Edwards stuffed or stifled one of his attempts. It was the last sequence in a determined but unsuccessful effort and the former titlist’s tentative approach proved costly on away soil.
Gaethje’s jabs do just the trick against Fiziev
29-28 x 2, 28-28: Justin Gaethje [3] bt. Rafael Fiziev [6] via majority decision
I spoke on Thursday about Justin Gaethje fighting intelligently and he needed an adjustment, but did so midway through the third – jabs and uppercuts – to overwhelm surging contender Rafael Fiziev during an action-packed co-main event.
Significant strikes per round
R1: Fiziev 27-23, Gaethje was 9% more accurate
R2: Fiziev 32-27, Fiziev 9% more
R3: Gaethje 53-38, Gaethje 6% higher
He conceded he’s not too far from the exit door and wants one more title run before then. Current titlist Islam Makhachev was an interested viewer on social media, so it’ll be interesting to see how the promotion matchmakes his next fight.
Fiziev will learn lessons from a competitive defeat where he acquitted himself well, but was drawn into exchanging in disadvantageous positions against a far more experienced fighter – who openly said he’d be more defensively responsible here.
“I literally tried not to do that! Got my takedown, everyone – my critics – can shut the fuck up now. These guys are young, hungry, that [Fiziev] is a dangerous motherfucker. One more run at the title, so glad you got to enjoy it with me.
Trevor [Wittman, his head coach] got me to believe in it [jab work and boxing at distance], being outside and at further range would serve me well. Once he was on the back foot, I had to keep pressure on.”
- Gaethje on curbing his risky tendencies, praise for Fiziev and the gameplan
Before the card’s co-main event, Icelandic welterweight Gunnar Nelson returned from a year-long layoff to score a first-round submssion (armbar) against the all-action fighter that is Bryan Barberena, who has now lost two straight.
Maia, Vettori keep contenders at bay
Women’s flyweight prospect Casey O’Neill suffered a maiden professional loss on her return from torn ACL surgery against former world title challenger Jennifer Maia, who began as she meant to go on and produced a polished striking display over 15 minutes during a clash both believed they did enough to edge at the final horn.
Significant strike totals
R1: 47-43 Maia, 44-41% O’Neill success
R2: 51-47 Maia, 55-42% O’Neill
R3: 47-47, 55-40% O’Neill connect percentage
Given the competitive nature of this encounter, it’ll be interesting to see where both go from here given they’re at different stages of their respective careers.
Having alternated wins and losses across his last four contests, pressure was on Marvin Vettori against a surging contender in Roman Dolidze and it wasn’t straightforward, but he emerged unscathed with a UD3 win (29-28 x 2, 30-27) after outworking the Georgian and stuffing the 35-year-old’s single takedown attempt.
Significant strike totals
R1: 38-29 Vettori, 50-40% success advantage
R2: 28-16 Vettori, 40-32%
R3: 40-26 Vettori, 54-36%
Dolidze represented a fresh name at 185lbs, riding a four-fight win streak – most notably against Jack Hermansson – and now has to rebuild by defending his spot against someone lower down the middleweight rankings. Not an easy challenge.
UFC 286 prelim results
Prelims
Featherweight: Jack Shore bt. Makwan Amirkhani via R2 sub (rear-naked choke)
Lightweight: Chris Duncan bt. Omar Morales via split decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)
Lightweight: Yanal Ashmouz bt. Sam Patterson via R1 KO (punches)
Flyweight: Muhammad Mokaev bt. Jalel Filho via R3 submission (neck crank)
Early prelims
Featherweight: Lerone Murphy bt. Gabriel Santos via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x 2)
Middleweight: Christian Leroy Duncan bt. Dusko Todorovic via R1 TKO (knee injury)
Catchweight (129.5lbs): Jake Hadley bt. Malcolm Gordon via R1 TKO (punches)
Women’s Flyweight: Joanne Wood bt. Luana Carolina via split (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
Lightweight: Jai Herbert vs. Ludovit Klein ended a majority draw (29-27, 28-28 x 2)
Women’s Flyweight: Veronica Hardy bt. Juliana Miller via UD (30-27 x 3)
Picture source: Getty Images, quotes via UFC broadcast
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