Issue 198
June 2023
A truly home-grown champion for the UK, Leon Edwards has made it all the way to the top on the strength of his performances inside the UFC Octagon. Simon Head takes a look back at five fights that have helped define “Rocky’s” journey to the top of the sport.
Kamaru Usman, UFC on Fox: Dos Anjos vs. Cowboy 2, December 19, 2015
After losing a split-decision to Claudio Silva on his Octagon debut, Edwards exploded into form with an eight-second knockout of Seth Baczynski. He then followed up with a decision win over Poland's Pawel Pawlak to claim back-to-back wins in the UFC. Then, in December 2015, Edwards was paired with fellow rising prospect Usman in a fight that would ultimately provide a benchmark for the Brit to work from in his future fights.
In a competitive matchup, Edwards lost a decision to “The Nigerian Nightmare,” who leaned heavily on his wrestling to defeat “Rocky” on the scorecards after three well-contested rounds in his US debut.
It may have put a loss on Edwards’ record, but it also showed him what he needed to make the jump to the next level. After returning home and working on his game, Edwards would eventually return to action an even better fighter.
Relive Edwards vs. Usman 1 on UFC Fight Pass
Albert Tumenov, UFC 204: Bisping vs. Henderson 2, October 8, 2016
Edwards bounced back in his next matchup with a unanimous decision victory over Dominic Waters in Rotterdam, where he showcased his wrestling skills. But it was in his next fight, against Tumenov, where Edwards really demonstrated how much he had leveled up.
Edwards dominated Tumenov with his evolving grappling skills to hand the Russian only the second submission defeat of his career. The fact that the first came at the hands of Icelandic ace Gunnar Nelson shows just how good a grappler you needed to be to put Tumenov away on the ground, but Edwards managed it, with a third-round rear-naked choke getting the job done for “Rocky,” who showed the world that he’s much, much more than just a striker.
Relive Edwards vs. Tumenov on UFC Fight Pass
Rafael Dos Anjos, UFC on ESPN: Dos Anjos vs. Edwards, July 20, 2019
Edwards’ win over Tumenov put him on a two-fight win streak, and the momentum continued to build with subsequent victories over Vicente Luque, Bryan Barberena, Peter Sobotta, Donald Cerrone (his first main event) and Gunnar Nelson.
That impressive run earned him his second UFC main event assignment as he was matched with former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos, a fighter who was as adept on the feet as he was on the mat. It was considered an acid test of Edwards’ ability to make the jump from talented prospect to legitimate world-title contender.
In a fight with seasoned opposition with a proven gas tank and big-fight mentality, Edwards completely dominated RDA across all aspects, striking, wrestling and grappling, to earn a landslide decision victory after going the full five-round main event duration.
The scorecards read 50-45, 49-46, 49-46 as Edwards picked up arguably the biggest win of his career to propel him toward title contention at 170 pounds.
Relive Edwards vs. dos Anjos on UFC Fight Pass
Kamaru Usman, UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards 2, August 20, 2022
Following his victory over dos Anjos, Edwards had an unfortunate no contest with Belal Muhammad, then a five-round decision win over Nate Diaz as he positioned himself for a shot at the UFC welterweight title.
Holding the belt was former foe Usman, who at the time was considered by many to be the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. “The Nigerian Nightmare” was riding a phenomenal 19-fight win streak, and had finished the likes of Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal and Gilbert Burns in his championship run. Victory over Edwards would have given him six consecutive title defenses, but “Rocky” had other ideas.
The fight itself appeared to be going one way, as Usman appeared to hold sway throughout the fight. But, with time seemingly running out on the Englishman, and with his corner imploring him to let his hands go, Edwards dug deep and launched a combination that would change his life forever.
Edwards subtly feinted a right-hand lead, causing Usman to bob to his right. But the Briton never let the shot go. Instead, he unleashed a picture-perfect left high kick that connected clean as Usman ducked to that side.
The shot knocked out Usman instantly and the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City gasped as the seemingly-unbeatable champion was sent crashing to the canvas.
It was a moment that will live long in the memory, as Edwards became only the second fighter from the UK to capture UFC championship gold, and did so in the most spectacular way possible.
Relive Usman vs. Edwards 2 on UFC Fight Pass
Kamaru Usman, UFC 286: Edwards vs. Usman 3, March 18, 2023
Following Edwards' stunning knockout of Usman in Salt Lake City, a trilogy fight was booked between the pair for Edwards' first title defense in London, England.
Throughout the lead-up to the fight, Usman claimed he was the better fighter, and simply had to avoid getting caught in order to regain the title. Edwards, meanwhile, had never looked more at home on the big stage. Laughing, joking and clearly supremely confident in his ability to defeat Usman again.
The fight, at a raucous O2 Arena, was markedly different to the previous two battles between the pair. While Usman used his wrestling to dominate long spells of the first two matchups, it was a non-factor in the trilogy fight. Edwards shut down "The Nigerian Nightmare's" key offensive weapon, and comprehensively outstruck him on the feet, using his superior boxing and effective kicks to the legs and body throughout the five-round fight.
The home-run head-kick KO may not have appeared this time, but Edwards' overall performance showed that he had overtaken the former pound-for-pound number one. Even a point deduction for a blatant fence grab couldn't derail "Rocky" as he earned scores of 48-46, 48-46, 47-47 for a majority decision win to retain his title on home soil.
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