Mon. Nov 4th, 2024
Occasional Digest - a story for you

Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman weighed in at 170lb for their welterweight title fight at UFC 286 in London on Saturday.

Briton Edwards, 31, is making the first defence of his belt since shocking Nigerian-American Usman in August.

In defeating Usman, 35, Edwards became the first British UFC champion since Michael Bisping in 2016.

The event is the first numbered show in the UK since UFC 204 in 2017, where Bisping beat Dan Henderson.

The pair first met in 2015, with Usman earning a decision win, making their meeting at the O2 Arena a trilogy bout which has been billed as the biggest MMA fight to ever take place on British soil.

They were animated during the face-offs with UFC president Dana White having to stand between them as they exchanged words.

“I’m excited to be here tomorrow and put a show on for you guys, to do another headshot and take him out again,” said Edwards.

Usman is looking to reclaim the belt he held for more than three years from 2019, making five defences.

“He’s talking now so tomorrow night we’re going to talk in that octagon,” said Usman.

All the other fighters made weight apart from Canada’s Malcolm Gordon, who was 3.5lb over the flyweight limit for his fight with Britain’s Jake Hadley.

The co-main event sees American Justin Gaethje take on Azerbaijan’s Rafael Fiziev, while a number of Britons feature on the undercard including Jack Shore, Muhammad Mokaev, Joanne Wood, Lerone Murphy and more.

American Colby Covington weighed in as backup for the main event, but will not fight with Usman and Edwards both making weight.

Source link