History has been made in Salt Lake City, Utah! Leon Edwards has stunned UFC fans around the world by becoming the first Jamaican champion in the promotion’s history. Edwards’ road to achieving such a feat was not easy. Seemingly down on points heading into the second half of round five, Edwards landed a kick to the head that sent reigning UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman crashing to the ground. With Usman seemingly unconscious, referee Herb Dean stopped the action immediately and Edwards’ corner celebrated.
“Look at me now,” Edwards said pulling off the biggest upset in recent UFC history.
“Look at me now! Pound-for-pound one!”
By taking the welterweight championship belt back to his corner, Edwards nixes Usman’s ability to tie Anderson Silva’s record for the longest win streak in UFC history. In addition, he extends his win streak to 11 consecutive matches. Moving forward, UFC President Dana White hopes to set up a third fight between Edwards and Usman in the U.K. White did not identify a specific date for the rematch, but Wembley Stadium and the O2 Arena have been mentioned as potential venues for the event.
“It’s going to be the biggest fight ever,” UFC President Dana White said on the pay-per-view broadcast.
“Imagine this in the O2 Arena. Could you imagine? Why not? He won in the greatest way possible.”
The promotion will move forward on September 10, 2022 as it holds UFC 279 at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada. Welterweight Contender Khamzat Chimaev and former UFC Lightweight Championship challenger will compete in the main event. If Chimaev emerges victoriously, he will likely fight the winner of Edwards-Usman III in 2023.
THE BELT IS GOING BACK TO BIRMINGHAM! ?
[ @Leon_EdwardsMMA | #UFC278 ] pic.twitter.com/Fjif0J0P2N— UFC (@ufc) August 21, 2022
