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411’s UFC 286 Review: Edwards Beats Usman Again

March 18, 2023 | Posted by Robert Winfree
UFC 286 Image Credit: UFC

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 5 p.m. ET)
(c) Leon Edwards (170 lbs.) vs. #1 Kamaru Usman (170 lbs.) – for welterweight title
#6 Rafael Fiziev (156 lbs.) vs. #3 Justin Gaethje (156 lbs.)
Bryan Barberena (171 lbs.) vs. Gunnar Nelson (170 lbs.)
#8 Jennifer Maia (125 lbs.) vs. #12 Casey O’Neill (125 lbs.)
#9 Roman Dolidze (186 lbs.) vs. #4 Marvin Vettori (185.5 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPNews/ESPN+, 3 p.m. ET)
Makwan Amirkhani (146 lbs.) vs. #15 Jack Shore (146 lbs.)
Chris Duncan (156 lbs.) vs. Omar Morales (156 lbs.)
Yanal Ashmoz (155 lbs.) vs. Sam Patterson (155.5 lbs.)
Jafel Filho (125.5 lbs.) vs. #12 Muhammad Mokaev (126 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 1 p.m. ET)
Lerone Murphy (145.5 lbs.) vs. Gabriel Santos (145.5 lbs.)
Christian Duncan (185.5 lbs.) vs. Dusko Todorovic (186 lbs.)
Malcolm Gordon (129.5 lbs.)* vs. Jake Hadley (126 lbs.)
Luana Carolina (126 lbs.) vs. Joanne Wood (126 lbs.)
Jai Herbert (156 lbs.) vs. Ludovit Klein (156 lbs.)
Veronica Hardy (125.5 lbs.) vs. Juliana Miller (125.5 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC 286. I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the event. Tonight we’ve got a rematch for the welterweight title, Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman are 1-1 with Edwards scoring a dramatic comeback knockout win last year to win the welterweight title. Usman is trying to regain that title here while Edwards looks to make his first title defense in front of his native crowd, and if Edwards is successful I don’t think it’s hyperbole to call it the biggest win by a UK MMA fighter on UK soil ever. The co-main event is a can’t miss action fight as well when maybe the most exciting fighter in UFC history, Justin Gaethje, battles talented striker Rafael Fiziev. Beyond that things get a little thinner, Gunnar Nelson is back and taking on Bryan Barberena, Roman Dolidze vs. Marvin Vettori is a solid middleweight fight, and Jack Shore trying to remind us that he’s a featherweight we need to watch round out the other stuff that looks interesting on my end. Well we’ve got 15 fights to get through, so let’s hope they bring some good action.

UFC 286 comes to the world from the O2 Arena in London, England hence the earlier start time for the event here in the States. We’ve got Jon Anik, Michael Bisping, and Daniel Cormier on commentary. I’m not sure of the rules but will assume mostly the ones from the Nevada rules unless corrected by the broadcast or other reputable channels. Keep in mind we’re in the 30 foot cage tonight instead of the smaller 25 footer they used at the Apex or similarly sized venues.

Juliana Miller scored a win in her UFC debut last year when she won her season of The Ultimate Fighter, now she’s trying to build her first UFC winning streak. Veronica Hardy has gone 1-4 in the UFC, last lost a decision over 3 years ago and is trying to return from the layoff while stopping a potentially bright prospect from building momentum. Given the layoff it’s not surprising the odds are with Miller at -390 against +320 for Hardy.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: Veronica Hardy (6-4-1, 125.5 lbs.) vs. Juliana Miller (3-1, 125.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Miller is three inches taller with two inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Some stance switching from Hardy as she circles. Hardy with some long range kicks, she’s mostly trying to keep distance. A couple of rights from Hardy land, Miller drops to her seat but bounces up. Miller keeps pressing forward but she’s kind of eating shots while closing distance. Hardy lands a couple of jabs. And there’s the “woo’s” starting, we almost made in 2 minutes into the first round. Calf kick from Hardy. Miller misses a left hook, she’s really reaching and lunging with her strikes and Hardy is able to avoid pretty easily. Hardy lands a right hand then a calf kick. Bit of a left from Miller. They get close and Hardy lands a right hand then a left hook. Hardy’s punches are just better and the lack of technique from Miller is hurting. Miller forces a clinch on the fence. Hardy can’t get free. Miller winds up pulling guard. Hardy fires a punch, Miller tries for an armbar, then switches for a triangle choke but isn’t finding anything. Miller keeps fishing for an armbar but Hardy lands a right hand then stands free. Bit of a front kick from Miller closes the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Hardy

ROUND TWO: Hardy counters a front kick with a couple of punches. Miller punches forward and lands a right but eats a couple of counters before Miller grabs a clinch. Hardy counters a lateral drop and gets on top of Miller. Miller attacks an armbar, she’s working to extend the arm but Hardy spins out and lands some lefts to the head now in half guard. Hardy lands some more lefts but Miller hip escapes to full guard again. Miller keeps looking to spin her hips and attack the arm, Hardy isn’t following the hips very well. Hardy pulls her arm free and lands a few more punches into half guard. There’s a big knot on the forehead of Miller. Hardy lands an elbow. More punches from Hardy as Miller gets back to full guard. Hardy stands free and they reset. Miller lands an inside leg kick, then Hardy lands a body kick. They clinch again, Miller looking for a takedown but Hardy lands punches from the ride position. Miller fishes for a kimura, she’s cranking at it but Hardy defends as we’re on short time for the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Hardy, 20-18 Hardy overall

ROUND THREE: Miller clinches quickly and tries a takedown but winds up on bottom again. Kimura attempt from Miller but Hardy defends. Hardy pulls out of an armbar and lands punches as Miller goes for a kneebar. This is pretty tight but the angle is off for Miller. Hardy lands body shots as Miller keeps trying to find the angle for the kneebar but she can’t find it. Hardy pressures through the kneebar and gets to the ride position and lands more punches as Miller comes up into a clinch. They fight for position in the clinch then Hardy hits an outside trip. Miller attacks an arm but Hardy Rolls to the ride position. Miller bails on the armbar and Hardy stands and lands leg kicks before Miller stands. Hardy lands a left hand then trips Miller down again. Hardy stands free and they reset again. Hardy lands a couple of punches then a head kick that rocks Miller. Another clinch and Hardy moves to the back in the clinch. Takedown for Hardy into north-south position. Elbows from Hardy now as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Hardy, 30-27 Hardy overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Veronica Hardy via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Well last week only one underdog won, we’re off to the races here with an underdog win that might set the tone. No interview for Hardy, we’re at 15 fights so I imagine they’ll be a tad judicious with giving those out on the prelims.

Jai Herbert has gone 2-3 in the UFC but that’s a bit deceptive as he losses have come against Francisco Trinaldo, Renato Moicano, and Ilia Topuria. Herbert is coming off of a win last year and now looks for his first UFC winning streak while drawing his UFC record to the .500 mark for the first time. Ludovit Klein has gone 3-2 in the UFC but he’s on a two fight winning streak and if he can get to three in a row here it might earn him a step up in class the next time out. Klein closed as the favorite at -200 while the +170 payout for Herbert might be a very tempting value bet.

Lightweight Bout: Jai Herbert (12-4, 156 lbs.) vs. Ludovit Klein (19-4, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Herbert is four inches taller with four and a half of reach advantage. Southpaw for Klein, and Herbert fires a head kick that’s blocked. Circling from Herbert, he keeps throwing long range attacks. Klein hasn’t thrown much yet, but he’s able to catch a kick and takes Herbert down into full guard. Some body shots from Klein. Herbert attacks an armbar, Klein lands a punch and gets his arm free. They trade some hammer fists, Klein stands but eats a few up kicks before going back into the guard. There’s blood coming from Klein, not sure where though as he lands a few punches. Herbert stands up and they trade kicks. That cut on Klein looks like it’s around the left eyebrow. Klein avoids a few combinations. Knees are traded in close then Klein lands an elbow before they hit the fence. More knees from Herbert and they break. Herbert is kind of chewing Klein up at distance thus far. Bit of a left from Klein. They circle away the last seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Herbert

ROUND TWO: That cut on Klein is above the eyebrow, it’s not great but isn’t a fight stopper yet. Herbert gets back to circling and avoids a high kick. Knee from Herbert but Klein does land a counter left. Klein misses punches then they clinch and hit the fence. They break without incident after a bit. Klein is back on forward pressure, he’s able to get inside the kicking range a bit more reliably this round and lands a left hand. They clinch again, Herbert can’t find a trip and they hit the fence. Some knees go back and forth then Klein lands an elbow and a left hand before they break. Herbert lands an inside leg kick. Bit of a left from Klein. Some kicks are traded, Herbert has reestablished his longer kicking range now. They clinch again and Klein lands a left as they break. Klein lands a couple of punches into a clinch then lands an elbow. A left from Klein counters a head kick and that’ll close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Klein but a closer one, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Herbert forces a clinch pretty early, but he fires a knee into the groin of Klein and that gets a time out. Replay confirms the foul but Klein only takes 40 seconds then we’re back to fighting. kelin lands a knee as he’s forcing the action now. Another knee from Klein as he’s punching to close distance. Bit of a knee from Herbert before they break apart. Herbert lands a right hand then Klein lands a left. They clinch again and trade knees but Herbert again knees Klein in the groin so we’ve got another time out. Replay again confirms the foul. The ref does take away the point before we restart. Bisping on commentary claims the knee was to the hip, it did impact the hip but it also hit the cup. They clinch up and Herbert hits a foot sweep into side control. Some elbows from Herbert as Klein gets to half guard. Some rights from Herbert land. Klein looks to come up and hits a double leg into half guard. Herbert looks to wall walk but Klein lands a few elbows along the way. Knee from Klein but Herbert slips to his back in the clinch. Herbert lands a few lefts to the head. The round ends with them in the clinch.

SCORECARD: 9-9 DRAW after the point deduction, 28-28 DRAW overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Majority DRAW (29-27 Herbert, 28-28 x2)

Shame for Herbert as he looked pretty good, but fouling twice that close together usually forces the refs hand.

Joanne Wood has been with the UFC since 2014 but she’s currently on a three fight losing streak and badly needs a win here to salvage her time going forward in the promotion. Luana Carolina has gone 3-2 in the UFC but was last seen getting violently knocked out about a year ago, now she’s back in action looking for a win over a tough veteran and also trying to avoid her first ever losing streak. Wood closed as the -170 favorite to +145 on Carolina.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: Luana Carolina (8-3, 126 lbs.) vs. Joanne Wood (15-8, 126 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Carolina has three and half inches of reach advantage, Wood is also 8 years older. Wood starts pressuring forward and lands a right hand. Carolina with a bit of a right. Wood lands a right hand and clinches up. Knees from Wood as they fight for position. More knees go back and forth as they fight for position then they break with a right hand from Wood. They trade rights then clinch again, more knees are traded then a few elbows as well. Wood avoids a few punches. Bit of a right from Wood. They trade in close. Bit of a right from Wood into another clinch. Elbow from Wood, Carolina with some knees. Some more sneaky short elbows from Wood as he avoids a throw attempt. Carolina lands a couple of knees then they break. Wood lands a jab. Body kick from Carolina. Some front kicks go back and forth. Wood ties up and they trade knees then break. Southpaw for Carolina now, she lands a body kick then Wood misses a spinning elbow. They stare away the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Wood

ROUND TWO: Wood gets back to forward pressure right away. They trade punches in close. Carolina misses punches and gets clinched. Some knees are traded then they break. Wood lands a right hand and avoids the counters. Carolina lands a one two. Wood catches a side kick then lands a right hand and clinches up. Knees from Wood land then an elbow. Carolina with a few knees of her own in the clinch. Wood lands an elbow before they break. Another clinch, Wood keeps landing short elbows before they break and Carolina’s right eye is starting to swell. Knee from Wood then a right hand. Carolina lands a body kick. Wood lands a front kick to the face. Carolina misses a few kicks then they clinch again. Knee from Wood after a foot sweep, thankfully for her that missed as it would have been illegal, and they end the round with Carolina on her back.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Wood but could go either way, 20-18 Wood overall

ROUND THREE: Wood opens with a body kick. Carolina lands a body kick. Another body kick from Wood. Bit of a right from Carolina. Wood lands a couple of punches. Right hand from Carolina. They trade in close but Carolina landed better. Counter left from Carolina lands, Wood has slowed visibly at this point. Wood lands a right hand. A few front kicks from Wood land. They clinch up and trade knees. More knees then Wood lands an elbow. Carolina knees the head then avoids a spinning back fist. That right eye of Carolina’s is swelling more after some of those elbows. They clinch up and trade more knees and elbows. The elbows from Wood are her best weapon when they clinch up. Wood is still marching Carolina down and lands a couple of jabs. Carolina lands a left hand. Another left from Carolina. Wood clinches but can’t keep it. Wood trips Carolina down but lets her stand up. Rights from Wood and they get close and swing but Wood wobbles Carolina with a right hand, then some elbows in close off balance Carolina as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Wood, 30-27 Wood overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Joanne Wood via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)

I can absolutely see Carolina taking the second, not so sure about the third but it’s hardly the most egregious thing I’ve ever seen. No interview for Wood.

Malcolm Gordon missed weight for this fight, never a good thing, and has gone 2-3 in the UFC overall. Gordon is trying to pull his UFC record back even with a win that might also smooth over his weight gaff. Jake Haley has gone 1-1 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a win and now looks for his first UFC winning streak while establishing himself as a notable flyweight prospect. To that end Hadley is a big favorite at -425 against Gordon’s +350 comeback.

Flyweight Bout: Malcolm Gordon (14-6, 129.5 lbs.) vs. Jake Hadley (9-1, 126 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Gordon has an inch of reach advantage. Southpaw for Hadley and they touch gloves to get things going. Both men probe with punches right away. Gordon lands an inside leg kick. Bit of a right from Hadley. Hadley lands a left to the body. Another left form Hadley hits the body and drops Gordon, then a few punches as Gordon crumples to the mat and we’re done here.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jake Hadley via TKO, body punches, at 1:01 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Hadley for his work this afternoon, and thanks him for scoring our first finish of the evening. Mic time for Hadley, he says he treated Gordon like breakfast and mocks Muhammed Mokaev for taking three rounds to get Gordon out of there while he did it in a minute. He talks us through the finish and notes his coaches prepared him to land that body shot as Gordon closed distance. Asked about the future he says Mokaev doesn’t want to fight him in the cage, but he’d love to smash him.

Watch the left hand of Hadley here, he steps in on Gordon as Gordon closes distance and lands a nasty left uppercut to the body as Gordon leans forward. Well placed, well timed, and the reaction tells you everything about the efficacy.

Christian Leroy Duncan is undefeated coming into his UFC debut and is trying to make good on his only chance at a good first impression. Dusko Todorovic has gone 3-3 in the UFC and he’s coming off a win which puts him in position to get a winning UFC record for the first time since winning in his debut back in 2020. Duncan closed at -215 to the +185 comeback on Todorovic.

Middleweight Bout: Christian Leroy Duncan (7-0, 185.5 lbs.) vs. Dusko Todorovic (12-3, 186 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Duncan is an inch taller with a notable five inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Some stance switching from Todorovic as they circle. Todorovic lands a calf kick. Bit of a jab from Duncan. Duncan starts switching his stance as well. Some side kicks from Duncan. Todorovic lands another calf kick. They clinch up and hit the fence. They spin for position, and Todorovic drops clutching his right knee, looks like his knee blew out and we’re done.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Christian Leroy Duncan via TKO, knee injury, at 1:52 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Duncan for his work this evening. Well that’s just unfortunate all the way around. Mic time for Duncan he didn’t realize what happened in real time. He notes landing a few leg kicks early, then sees the injury on the big screen and laments not being able to earn a performance bonus. He says it feels like home being in the UFC to close the interview.

Lerone Murphy has never tasted defeat in addition to going 3-0-1 in the UFC, he’s been out since knocking out Makwan Amirkhani in October of 2021 but is in a prime spot in his native England to remind everyone that he’s a rising prospect at featherweight. Gabriel Santos is also undefeated coming into his UFC debut and is trying to spoil Murphy’s homecoming and score that all important first UFC win. Murphy is the -180 favorite to +155 on Santos.

Featherweight Bout: Lerone Murphy (11-0-1, 145.5 lbs.) vs. Gabriel Santos (10-0, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Murphy has three and a half inches of reach advantage. Both men are switching stances. Santos hits a double leg timed off of a leg kick and gets on top. Murphy quickly wall walks but eats a knee on the way. Murphy slips to the back as they slide down then winds up in the guard of Santos. Santos is fishing for a triangle attack but Murphy has good posture at the moment. Punches from Murphy then he stands free and Santos regains his feet. Murphy lands a calf kick. Santos lands a calf kick of his own. One two from Murphy. Some jabs go back and forth then Santos lands a solid body kick. Murphy lands a right hand. More jabs from Murphy, those are giving Santos some problems. Santos lands a left hand. Bit of a right hook from Murphy. Murphy with a combination but Santos lands a knee in the middle of it. Some punches from Santos then he hits a double leg against the fence. Murphy wall walks but Santos lands a knee to the body before they break. Body shots from Santos land, then an inside leg kick. Santos stuns Murphy with a left hand. Murphy lands a body kick. A flurry from Santos lands, then Murphy lands a right hand. Heck of a round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Santos

ROUND TWO: Santos lands a body kick to start the second round. Left hand from Santos, then Murphy lands one of his own. They tie up, Santos with knees but Murphy cracks him with a right hand before they settle in chest to chest. Some knees go back and forth then Murphy rides Santos down and gets on top in side control. Santos rolls through and gets full guard. Murphy lands some punches to the body then stands and Santos joins him on the feet. Santos lands a calf kick. Bit of a front kick from Murphy, it glanced off the cup on the way up so we’ve got a time out. Santos only takes 30 seconds then we’re back to fighting. Head kick from Santos wobbles Murphy but he recovers quickly. Murphy misses his own head kick. Right hand then a left from Murphy in close. Calf kick from Santos drops Murphy for a second but he’s back up. They trade punches then Santos hits a single leg into side control. Murphy gives up his back and Santos jumps on it grabbing a body triangle for control. Some punches from Santos, then an elbow to the shoulder, that’s just mean. Murphy is trying to generate motion and get on top but Santos is able to use the body triangle to prevent it. Some punches form Murphy but Santos grabs at an armbar, Murphy is able to defend as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Santos but could go either way, 20-18 Santos overall

ROUND THREE: Both men are a little busted up in the face, and they hug to start the last round. Murphy lands a front kick, then Santos lands a leg kick. One two from Murphy lands. Santos tries a double leg, they hit the fence and he switches to a single leg then spins Murphy down into full guard. Bit of a right from Santos, he nearly takes the back but Murphy scrambles back up to his feet. They’re still clinched on the fence and trade knees. Elbows from Murphy as they break. Murphy jabs the body. Both men land rights in close. Murphy lands a calf kick. Some front kicks from Murphy, then he eats a left hand. Murphy lands a couple of lefts. Santos lands a body shot but he’s walking into punches in the pocket. Murphy lands an elbow then a left hand. A few lefts from Murphy. Santos is stalking forward looking to force the action. Calf kick from Santos. Murphy lands a right hand. Santos tries a double leg, he’s able to lift and slam then gets on top in full guard. Bit of an elbow from Santos. Murphy scoots to the fence and looks to wall walk, Santos gets the back standing as they get up. Bit of a head kick from Santos as they break. Murphy misses an attempted spinning kick as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Murphy, 29-28 Santos overall but could go either way

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Lerone Murphy via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

No issues with the split or Murphy taking it, heck of a fight overall.

Muhammad Mokaev is undefeated including three wins in the UFC, all of which as started building a fair amount of hype around him and now he’s looking to transition from prospect to legitimate contender. Jafel Filho brings a five fight winning streak into his UFC debut, he’s got a solid spot here if he’s able to best the rising Mokaev it’ll be a career best win and about the best way he could introduce himself to the UFC audience. Mokaev is the prohibitive favorite at -800 to a +575 payout on Filho.

Flyweight Bout: Jafel Filho (14-2, 125.5 lbs.) vs. #12 Muhammad Mokaev (9-0 1 NC, 126 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Mokaev has an inch and a half of reach advantage. We actually lose the lights in the Octagon so our start is delayed right after the announcements were done. That doesn’t take too long, less than a minute overall, then we actually get the start. They touch gloves to get us going. Mokaev misses a few punches then avoids a calf kick. They trade body kicks. A bit of stance switching from Filho. They clash on leg kicks. Mokaev lands a front kick. Body kick from Filho. Mokaev lands a body kick then goes for a double leg, Filho jumps on a guillotine though and looks to cinch it up. Mokaev is able to pass to side control then moves to leg drag. Filho moves to his knees, Mokaev is in the ride position. Some punches from Mokaev then Filho fully gives up the back. Mokaev starts fishing for the choke before Filho scrambles and gets full guard off of his back. Filho is pretty active off of his back but he’s not really found much yet. Mokaev lands a few lefts. Mokaev stands free, he throws a couple of leg kicks then passes the guard into side control. Filho hip escapes to full guard again and that’s where the round will end.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Mokaev

ROUND TWO: Filho stalks forward, both men are showing stance switches. Calf kick from Filho. Bit of a left from Filho. Mokaev misses a right hand. Filho lands a leg kick. Bit of a calf kick from Mokaev. Filho lands a combination of punches. Mokaev has really dropped off in terms of his output this round, I’m not sure what’s up with that. Mokaev tries a double leg, Filho defends and they hit the fence in a clinch. Filho slips free pretty quickly and gets back to forward pressure. Mokaev tries a single leg, eats a body shot on the way but he’s able to finish it into full guard. Filho fires punches from his back as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Filho, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Mokaev with a quick double leg, then he gets the back as Filho tries to regain his feet. Body triangle from Mokaev but Filho breaks it and spins into him then stands free. Mokaev might be tired, he hits another takedown but again Filho scrambles back towards his knees. Filho lands a few punches as Mokaev moves towards his back, then Filho inverts and grabs at a kneebar, this is pretty dangerous as Filho is cranking on it. That’s really tight and the knee shouldn’t bend that way, Mokaev wont tap though as Filho keeps cranking it. Mokaev gets free eventually and moves to the ride but his knee is jacked up clearly. Some punches from Mokaev as he’s on the back of Filho but Filho fights up to his feet with Mokaev on his back still. Choke attack from Mokaev, no body control though and Filho turns into him as he’s sitting on the fence. Mokaev jumps to the back again, tries another choke and he’s able to finish and get the tap but he comes up badly limping as his leg is messed up.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Muhammad Mokaev via Submission, neck crank, at 4:32 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Mokaev for his work this evening. Mokaev’s left leg is still messed up as he gets his interview, he says the kneebar was bad but he came in with an injured shoulder as well and wanted to put on a show for his fans. He talks us through the finish and says he’s still young and will be back and better.

Here’s the finish, Mokaev isn’t under the chin but he’s got a pretty decent crank going and the angle of Filho’s head/neck isn’t great.

Sam Patterson has a nine fight unbeaten streak going coming into his UFC debut, he’s hoping to extend that success now that he’s on the biggest stage the sport can provide. Yanal Ashmouz is undefeated and now looks to remain perfect while scoring that all important first UFC win. Patterson closed as a solid -265 favorite to +225 for Ashmouz.

Lightweight Bout: Yanal Ashmouz (6-0, 155 lbs.) vs. Sam Patterson (10-1-1, 155.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Patterson is five inches taller with a whopping 10 inches of reach advantage. The size difference is very obvious. Patterson probes with some long range kicks, just range finding thus far. Bit of a body kick from Ashmouz but Patterson counters with a right hand. Ashmouz catches a kick and crushes Patterson with a left hook as Patterson is off balance and that floors him, he jumps on top and continues the barrage until the ref finally steps in. Slightly late stoppage from where I sit.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Yanal Ashmouz via KO, punches, Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Ashmouz for his work this afternoon. Mic time for Ashmouz, he jokes that he’s got hands like Mike Tyson. He was waiting on Patterson a bit to get a read on him, then when he got one we can see what happened. He calls this a dream come true and feels he’s the happiest man in the building.

Here’s the finish, so you can judge for yourself if the stoppage was late or not. Ashmouz catches that kick, his right hand more serves to off balance things but that left hook as Patterson is falling lands flush on the temple and badly rocks him. The follow up punches from mount and fast, accurate, and vicious.

Chris Duncan is riding a two fight winning streak into his UFC debut, he’s hoping to showcase his skills to the UFC audience and prove he’s a worthwhile signing for the promotion. Omar Morales took this fight on relatively short notice, he’s on a two fight losing streak but after about a year out to recover from the last fight he’s back and looking for his first win at lightweight since 2020. Morales closed at -115 to the -105 of Duncan making this technically a pick ’em situation.

Lightweight Bout: Chris Duncan (9-1, 156 lbs.) vs. Omar Morales (11-3, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Morales is an inch taller with an inch and a half of reach advantage, he’s also 8 years older. They touch gloves to get things going. Duncan works his way forward to start, but Morales checks a calf kick. Inside leg kick from Duncan. They clash on calf kicks. Duncan lands a right to the body but eats a counter left. Morales starts showing the jab, he lands a calf kick as well. Duncan has a calf kick checked, that always just hurts both men. Morales checks a kick and lands a right hand. Bit of a calf kick from Morales. Duncan lands a right hand. Morales lands a couple of rights of his own after checking a leg kick. Both men miss high kicks. Body kick from Duncan. They both miss rights then Morales lands a calf kick. Morales blocks a double leg, barely even has to sprawl as his under hooks did the work. Some body kicks from Morales. Duncan tries a clinch but can’t secure it. Calf kicks are traded and Morales lands a jab as well. Combination from Morales, Duncan is hurt and wobbled, Morales keeps coming forward but eats a right hand from Duncan. Morales blocks a double leg and they clinch. Some knees are traded then Duncan lands an elbow to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Morales but a close one

ROUND TWO: Duncan tries a double leg, Morales only drops to his knees but Duncan moves to the ride position. Some knees to the leg from Duncan as he’s leaning on Morales. Morales hits a switch and they scramble back up and at distance. Hard right from Morales. Bit of a jab from Duncan. Morales checks a leg kick then lands a right hand. Those checked kicks are starting to mess with Duncan’s right leg/foot. Leg kick from Morales. Bit of a body kick from Duncan, then he forces a clinch and looks for a double leg against the fence. Duncan switches to a single leg but Morales is able to limp leg free. They clinch up again and Duncan again goes for a takedown against the fence. Morales again slips free and resets. Morales lands a right hand to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Duncan I guess but his lack of damage leaves it open, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Duncan lands a left hand to start the round. Morales misses a right hand. They clash on kicks then Morales lands a one two. They trade jabs. Morales land a hard calf kick that drops Duncan for a second. Duncan tries a takedown and things again stall on the fence. Morales is able to scramble up to his knees. Duncan moves towards the back as Morales is on his knees. A few knees from Duncan, Morales tries another switch but can’t hit it. A lot of stalling and controlling from Duncan. Morales stands but Duncan is still on his back in the clinch and Duncan rides him back to his knees. The ref could break this, nothing’s really happening here. Morales is able to get up and breaks with 30 seconds left. Clubbing right from Morales then an uppercut. Duncan is just running clock, he tries another takedown against the fence and finishes it to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Duncan, 29-28 Duncan overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Chris Duncan via split decision (27-30, 29-28 x2)

That 30-27 for Morales is Clucky for sure, I mean I feel for Morales as Duncan did very little that last round other than hold but if Morales couldn’t get free and challenge on the other scoring criteria then you lose the round. No interview for Duncan.

Jack Shore has gone 5-1 in the UFC but he’s coming off of his first professional loss and looking to bounce back into the win column with an impressive outing here. Makwan Amirkhani has gone just 1-4 in his last five fights, he’s been stopped in his last two losses and is trying to avoid another losing streak here. Shore is one of the bigger favorites on the card at a big -500 to a +400 payout on Amirkhani.

Featherweight Bout: Makwan Amirkhani (17-8, 146 lbs.) vs. #15 Jack Shore (16-1, 146 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Amirkhani is two inches taller with an inch of reach advantage. Southpaw for Amirkhani. Shore looks to keep range with his jab and leg kicks. They trade rights. Shore lands a right then pushes into a clinch. A few short elbows from Shore. Amirkhani spins Shore into the fence. A few knees from Amirkhani. Shore spins Amirkhani and lands some knees of his own as they continue fighting for position. They break without incident. Shore lands a one two. Amirkhani lands a jab. Double leg from Amirkhani and he gets on top in half guard. Shore hip escapes to full guard. Shore kicks at Amirkhani but can’t get up and Amirkhani winds up back in half guard. Again Shore moves to full guard then lands an elbow. Amirkhani tries to get busy but can’t find a pass or any real damage. Bit of an elbow from Amirkhani. The round ends on the mat.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Amirkhani I guess

ROUND TWO: Shore blocks a head kick and Amirkhani slips, then Shore lands a few punches before Amirkhani stands. Amirkhani looks tired, per usual after the first round. Shore lands a body kick. Jab from Shore then a knee as they clinch up. Amirkhani gets Shore on the fence but can’t keep him there as Shore pushes free. Head kick from Shore staggers Amirkhani. Right hand from Shore, Amirkhani falls forward looking for a takedown but just stalls in the turtle. Shore lets him up and they reset. Amirkhani is all out of sorts physically. Shore with a punch then a front kick to the body. Uppercut from Shore then a jab behind it. Shore with a one two, Amirkhani is fading and falling apart. Amirkhani misses a head kick. Shore lands a left hook. Amirkhani tries a single leg but Shore defends. Shore with an outside trip and he gets on top in half guard. Shore passes to side control, then into full mount. Amirkhani is stuck and Shore lands a punch then grabs at an arm triangle but can’t finish it. Shore postures up and lands elbows, then Amirkhani gives up the back and Shore grabs the choke to force the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jack Shore via Submission, rear naked choke, at 4:27 of Round 2

Mic time for Shore after his successful move up to featherweight, he says this was what he wanted as he was killing himself to make bantamweight. He puts over his dad as his coach and brings up that his dad finished chemo a couple of weeks ago and he made it here to corner him, we see his father in the corner who’s very emotional. He talks us through the finish, noting the takedown in the first was due to his toes giving out but once he could get on top in the second he knew he could get it done.

Nice finish from Shore, pretty standard stuff but he makes several small adjustments while locking things up as Amirkhani tries to get free.

Marvin Vettori has only lost to Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya since we hit 2017 and while he’s coming off of the loss to Whittaker he’s looking to defend his top ranking here while avoiding his first ever losing streak. Roman Dolidze has gone 6-1 in the UFC, is on a four fight winning streak and has finished his last three fights against increasing levels of opposition. Dolidze has the chance to crack the top five in the division here and possibly set his sights on the title before the end of the year. The odds are with Vettori at -250 while the +210 payout for Dolidze might make for a tempting value bet given how he’s looked lately.

Middleweight Bout: #9 Roman Dolidze (12-1, 186 lbs.) vs. #4 Marvin Vettori (18-6-1, 185.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Dolidze has two inches of height and reach advantage. Southpaw for Vettori, who lands a couple of leg kicks. Dolidze blocks a body kick. Bit of a right from Dolidze. Both men are still getting a feel for things, but Dolidze lands a couple of punches and has backed Vettori into the fence. They tie up and trade punches, Vettori landing a solid left. Bit of a short right from Dolidze. Vettori lands a one two. A couple of leg kicks from Vettori. Dolidze lands an inside leg kick. Some jabs from Vettori then Dolidze lands another inside leg kick. Both men land rights in close. We get a clash of heads and Vettori gets a time out. They’ve been banging heads on occasion, they both crash distance and the opposite stances mean this happens. No point issues and the restart. Bit of a head kick from Dolidze. Vettori lands a right hand in close. They trade again, Dolidze is trying to force a brawl and lands a couple of hard rights. Vettori is hurt but fires back as he’s along the fence. Dolidze keeps coming forward and clubbing at Vettori, then lands a knee as well. Vettori fires a few one twos and gets Dolidze to reset. They trade in close, then Vettori misses a head kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Dolidze

ROUND TWO: Vettori gets back to leg kicking. Dolidze lands a right hand. More kicks from Vettori as he looks to keep distance. Both men miss punches. Inside leg kick from Vettori. Bit of a right from Dolidze. Dolidze lands a right in close, and tries to call on Vettori. Short right from Dolidze. Vettori with a one two. Inside leg kick from Vettori. Dolidze lands a right to the body. Vettori keeps dipping when he expects the right hand, Dolidze should think about an uppercut. Glancing right from Dolidze. Vettori lands an inside leg kick. Dolidze tries a single leg, that hits the fence though and Vettori slips free quickly. There’s a bit of an uppercut from Dolidze. Body kick from Dolidze. Vettori with another inside leg kick. Dolidze blocks a high kick. Bit of a right from Dolidze. Vettori lands a couple of more leg kicks while circling. A Vettori left hand ends the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Vettori, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Dolidze gets back on pressure, lands a right hand then a front kick. Vettori keeps circling. Dolidze lands a knee in close. Inside leg kick from Vettori. Dolidze lands a right hand. Dolidze bulls forward and lands a few rights in close. More leg kicks from Vettori. Vettori’s jab keeps working, he’s done damage to the left eye of Dolidze. Dolidze lands a right hand. Right from Dolidze then a couple of follow ups. Vettori with another inside leg kick, then Dolidze clubs him with a right hand. Jab from Dolidze, he’s got Vettori towards the fence again. Vettori lands an inside leg kick but eats a counter right. Dolidze wades forward and they trade punches. Another right from Dolidze partially lands. Vettori lands an inside leg kick then they trade punches in close. They trade power hand punches. Vettori lands another inside leg kick. Dolidze lands a right hand. Body kick from Vettori. They clinch up then break without incident. Vettori avoids a few punches, then they trade in close to end the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Dolidze but could go either way, 29-28 Dolidze overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Marvin Vettori via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

I don’t agree with 30-27 but no issues with 29-28 for Vettori. Mic time for Vettori as the crowd boos, he says this is the first time his mom has been here to watch him live and he wasn’t going to lose. He talks us through the decision to change his camp and work on improving his overall game. Asked about the future he will fight anyone at the top of the division, he’s here and when he signs the contract he always shows up.

We get our next Hall of Fame inductee to join Jose Aldo and Jens Pulver: Anderson Silva. Total no brainer, he’s one of the absolute best the sport has ever seen.

Jennifer Maia has gone 2-3 in her last five fights which includes a failed title shot, she is coming off of a win though and if she can get a win here it’ll be her first winning streak since 2019 but might keep her name relatively close to the title picture. Casey O’Neill is undefeated with four wins in the UFC, now she’s looking to remain that way as she begins stepping up in class through a division that’s finally starting to develop some depth of talent. O’Neill closed as a slight -175 favorite against Maia’s +150.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: #8 Jennifer Maia (20-9-1, 125 lbs.) vs. #12 Casey O’Neill (9-0, 125 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: O’Neill is two inches taller with a notable five inches of reach advantage, she’s also 9 years younger. They trade punches right away. Bit of a body kick from O’Neill. Maia lands a one two, then a counter right hand. They both land in close. O’Neill keeps stalking forward and they trade. Maia avoids a few punches and lands a one two counter. O’Neill keeps throwing one at a time and Maia is countering her nicely. Jab from O’Neill. O’Neill lands a right but eats a counter combination from Maia. They trade rights. Maia lands another one two. Some jabs go back and forth. O’Neill lands a right hand. Maia lands a jab, then a right in close. O’Neill is bleeding from the nose I think. Maia’s right hand keeps landing. Both women land in close again. Maia catches a body kick and forces a clinch but O’Neill slips free quickly. Right hand from Maia. They trade rights but again Maia is throwing in volume while O’Neill is only throwing one or so at a time. Maia lands a right hand then an inside leg kick. Calf kicks from Maia now. O’Neill blocks a head kick. They trade in close as the last exchange of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Maia

ROUND TWO: O’Neill lands a leg kick. A lot of pressure from O’Neill but she can’t corral Maia. Maia lands a couple of rights in close. Another right from Maia lands. O’Neill lands a right of her own but this volume disparity is a real problem for her. They trade rights in close again. Maia lands a flurry then avoids a clinch. O’Neill just can’t get a handle on what Maia is doing and she’s struggling to find meaningful offense. Maia lands a body shot after taking a jab. They trade in close then Maia lands a front kick. Both women land rights in close again. Maia lands another right. Again Maia lands a combination. O’Neill lands a right but eats three or four counters before they wind up clinched. Maia forces O’Neill into the fence and lands some knees to the leg. They break and trade punches. O’Neill lands a right then a left hook. Maia lands another right. They split jabs to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Maia but a closer one, 20-18 Maia overall

ROUND THREE: O’Neill gets back to pressuring forward and lands a body kick. Maia lands a right hand. Bit of a right from O’Neill. They clinch up and hit the fence. Maia slips to the back standing but can’t keep it and they break apart. More jabs go back and forth. Maia lands a combination, her uppercut is working well thus far. Both women land rights. Bit of a head kick from O’Neill. Maia lands a couple of rights then a knee. A right from Maia seems to off balance O’Neill for a second but she gets back to moving forward despite now bleeding more visibly. O’Neill lands a one two. Maia lands a right hand. They trade punches again, they’re just bouncing back into each other at somewhat regular intervals. O’Neill blocks a head kick. They trade in close again, these two are keeping a pretty crazy pace. Bit of a right from Maia. They trade rights, then O’Neill lands a follow up left hand. They trade in close and keep looking to flurry. Maia grabs the back in a clinch and drives things to the fence. O’Neill gets chest to chest but Maia looks for a single leg though O’Neill defends. They break and trade punches again, throwing all the way to the final horn.

SCORECARD: 10-9 O’Neill, 29-28 Maia overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jennifer Maia via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

That 30-27 seems a little dubious given the third round, but Maia winning is the right call overall.

Gunnar Nelson has gone just 2-3 in his last five fights and has been very inactive, missing all of 2020 and 2021 plus he’s been out for about a year since beating Takashi Sato, but he’s looking for his first winning streak since 2017 here and to hopefully build a bit of momentum in a division that could easily move on without him. Bryan Barberena just had a three fight winning streak snapped by Rafael dos Anjos but is trying to bounce back here and continue proving himself a rising force in the division. Despite the inactivity Nelson closed as a -360 favorite against Barberena’s +295 comeback.

Welterweight Bout: Bryan Barberena (18-9, 171 lbs.) vs. Gunnar Nelson (18-5-1, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Barberena is an inch taller with half an inch of reach advantage. Southpaw for Barberena, and they touch gloves. Some probing with the lead hand from both men. Barberena lands an inside leg kick. Nelson lands a jab. Barberena lands a left hand. Nelson forces a clinch and they hit the fence. Barberena lands an elbow. Nelson is fishing for takedowns here and finally hits a high crotch lift and gets on top in half guard. They trade some elbows as Nelson looks to pass, Barberena keeps landing elbows off of his back. Nelson lands an elbow, he’s looking to attack the arm of Barberena now. Nelson moves to full mount now and lands an elbow. Armbar attack from Nelson, it’s extended and Barberena has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Gunnar Nelson via Submission, armbar, at 4:51 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Nelson for his work this evening. Mic time for Nelson, he says everything finally started clicking for him this fight. He talks us through the finish, then says he’s going to focus on his team and we’ll just have to wait and see what’s next.

Justin Gaethje is maybe the most exciting fighter in UFC history with a series of exciting fights under his belt since joining the promotion in 2017, but he’s had two failed title shots and he’s coming off of a loss in a title fight with Charles Oliveira. Gaethje is trying to defend his ranking and possibly stay in the general title picture with a win here. Rafael Fiziev has gone 6-1 in the UFC and is currently on a six fight winning streak, he’s finished three of those wins and if he’s able to extend that streak at the expense of Gaethje then Fiziev will crack the top five and could factor into the title picture. Given the recent trends of both fighters it’s not too surprising to see Fiziev as the -230 favorite though that +195 payout on Gaethje must be getting some bettors excited.

Lightweight Bout: #6 Rafael Fiziev (12-1, 156 lbs.) vs. #3 Justin Gaethje (23-4, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Gaethje is three inches taller while Fiziev has an inch and a half of reach advantage. They touch gloves, Fiziev fighting southpaw first but will switch frequently. Gaethje avoids a few early kicks. Gaethje lands a hard calf kick. A little bit of shifting from Gaethje now too, mostly orthodox though. Bit of a body kick from Fiziev. Fiziev lands a front kick. Gaethje misses a left hook. Fiziev lands a left hand. They trade in close. Fiziev lands a leg kick, and they trade in close again. Fiziev’s hand speed is something else man. They tie up and Fiziev lands a knee after eating a punch then they break. Bit of a right from Gaethje. Both men miss punches in close, then Gaethje lands a left hook. Fiziev lands a couple of body shots. Gaethje lands a calf kick then they both swing in close. Fiziev goes southpaw and Gaethje lands a left hand. Bit of an uppercut from Fiziev. They both land punches then Fiziev avoids a follow up left. Fiziev with a body kick. Gaethje tries a takedown, then switches to landing a right hand once he knows he wont get it. Another calf kick from Gaethje. Fiziev lands a knee. Gaethje wit a calf kick then a left hand just before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Fiziev but a close one

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Fiziev misses a left then lands a body kick. Seriously, the speed of Fiziev is nuts. Bit of a right from Gaethje. Another knee from Fiziev and he avoids the counters. Gaethje with a bit of a right hand. They clinch up, then break as Fiziev misses a right. We get a time out as Fiziev complains of an eye poke, replay shows that yeah there was a little poke. Fiziev doesn’t want much time and they restart quickly. Gaethje has a head kick blocked. Fiziev lands a leg kick. Body kick from Fiziev, Gaethje then lands a leg kick and they trade punches. Combination from Gaethje lands, culminating with a left hook. They both swing again. Fiziev lands a right to the body then a knee, Gaethje fires back with a right hand. Body kick from Fiziev then Gaethje lands a couple of rights. They trade lefts then Fiziev lands a knee. There’s a cut around the right eye of Fiziev. Fiziev lands a front kick, he just wont stop coming forward. Calf kick from Fiziev now. Gaethje lands a calf kick, Fiziev didn’t like that one. Left hook from Gaethje lands, and Fiziev is opened up a little more around that right eye. A right from Gaethje closes the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gaethje but again close, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Fiziev’s right eye is messed up. They touch gloves again. A lot of stance switching from Fiziev, and he lands a right hand then a body kick. They trade in close, Fiziev wobbles Gaethje with a left hook. Gaethje lands a calf kick then a right hand and they clinch up. They trade punches again as they exit the clinch. Left hook from Gaethje lands. Fiziev keeps stabbing at the body with front kicks. Another clinch, Fiziev with knees then Gaethje lands an elbow. Gaethje lands a combination of punches then a knee to the body. Some jabs from Gaethje now, Fiziev keeps walking onto it. They trade lefts, that jab is further messing up the right eye of Fiziev. Gaethje lands an uppercut in close then a few more jabs. Fiziev digs the body in close. Calf kick from Gaethje then a left hook. Gaethje with a clubbing right hand. Uppercut from Gaethje. Fiziev lands a body kick but Gaethje’s volume is starting to add up. Fiziev lands a body kick. Gaethje’s jab keeps landing, that’s bothering Fiziev. Right hand from Gaethje lands. Uppercuts now from Gaethje, he’s just landing consistently now. They trade rights then Gaethje lands a left. Fiziev’s face is a mess, Gaethje wobbles him with an uppercut but Fiziev wont go down. Bit of a left hook from Gaethje then an uppercut. Double leg from Gaethje, just before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gaethje, 29-28 Gaethje overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Justin Gaethje via majority decision (28-28, 29-28 x2)

Not sure about 28-28 and I think Buffer misread the scores at one point. Gaethje puts over himself as the most exciting guy, no argument, then puts over Fiziev as a tough up and coming guy. He says he’s making one more run at the title but knows he’s not going to be around much longer and he’s grateful to have shared this with all the London fans. He mentions having to switch the range at times to deal with the speed of Fiziev and credits his coach for sitting him down and getting him ready. That’s Fight of the Night so far, which is just par for the course for Justin Gaethje. Apparently the 28-28 came from one judge giving Gaethje a 10-8 third which I don’t agree with at all.

Kamaru Usman is the former welterweight champion but he lost that title in his last fight which ended a potentially historic run as he hadn’t lost a fight since 2013, had five title defenses, the longest winning streak in welterweight history (15) and was looking to begin making his case for surpassing Georges Saint-Pierre in the welterweight history ranks. All that came crashing down via a fifth round head kick, now Usman is trying to regain the title, avoid his first ever losing streak, and continue building his legacy in the sport with a second title reign. Leon Edwards hasn’t lost a fight since dropping a decision to Usman back in 2015, since then he’s been on a tear that culminated in winning the title last August. Now Edwards is trying to secure his first title defense, end the trilogy with Usman on the winning side of things, remain undefeated in the UK, and begin forging his own championship legacy. Despite being the challenger Usman is your favorite at -250 against +210 for the defending champion Edwards.

Welterweight Title Bout: (c) Leon Edwards (20-3 1 NC, 170 lbs.) vs. #1 Kamaru Usman (20-2, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Edwards is two inches taller while Usman has two inches of reach advantage. Usman opens southpaw and Edwards looks to switch as they get a feel for each other. Some side kicks from Edwards, Usman fighting southpaw is interesting as he’s normally an orthodox fighter. Bit of a jab from Edwards then a leg kick. Usman has begun to show his own switches, Edwards looks to stay southpaw. A few leg kicks go back and forth, they’re both just probing and range finding. Bit of a right from Usman. Knee from Edwards as he avoids a clinch. Edwards lands a leg kick. Usman has a one two blocked but he’s still generally pressuring forward. Hard body kick from Edwards as Usman has gone orthodox. Usman lands a couple of body shots but he didn’t like those kicks. Usman punches forward and tries a double leg but they wind up clinched. Edwards is able to spin free and reset. We get a time out as the ref warns Edwards for grabbing inside the glove of Usman. Edwards lands another left body kick, those are adding up pretty quickly. Usman misses a couple of punches. Another leg kick from Edwards. They’ll just circle away the last seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Edwards

ROUND TWO: We get a bit of a false start to the second round, Usman was over eager to start. Edwards lands an inside leg kick. We get another brief time out as a kick from Edwards hits the groin of Usman but Usman shakes it off pretty quickly. Body kick from Edwards. Edwards lands an inside leg kick, he’s just sniping at Edwards thus far and Usman can’t corral Edwards on the fence. Usman fights in close but Edwards wobbles him with a knee. Bit of a left from Usman then a right to the body as he resets. Usman lands a right hand then pushes close and hits a takedown then jumps to the ride position along the fence. Edwards wall walks but Usman lands lefts from the clinch before they break. Now Usman sprawls away from a double leg and spins towards the ride again. Edwards looks to wall walk but Usman lands a few punches along the way. Edwards lands a left hand as they break. Bit of a body kick from Edwards, then a high kick that’s blocked. Usman misses a right hand, he’s kind of pushing his punches already. Usman starts jabbing the body now. Edwards lands another body kick but he’s taken a little off the power of it. Edwards keeps kicking at the legs, either round or oblique, he just wants to keep Usman at distance. Bit of a left from Usman in close before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Usman but a close one, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: We’ve settled back into open stance fighting now. Edwards gets back to inside leg kicks as he moves around. Usman reaches for a single leg and gets Edwards down into half guard. A few lefts from Usman land. Edwards scrambles to his feet and grabs the fence visibly to stop a mat return. That’ll prompt a point deduction from the ref, and I can’t disagree too much with that one. The restart on the feet. Both men land inside leg kicks. Edwards is still switching his stance a bit, though favoring southpaw. They split some jabs. Edwards tries an inside leg kick, that hits the groin so we’ve got another time out. Usman takes a little over 20 seconds then we’re back to fighting. Body kick from Edwards lands. Edwards lands a knee to the head. Usman is coming forward still. Jab from Usman. Usman lands a right hand. Edwards with a couple of inside leg kicks, Usman doesn’t like that. They clinch then break without issue. Bit of a body kick from Edwards. Usman lands a couple of rights to the body then one to the head. Usman forces a clinch and they hit the fence again. Edwards is able to fight free but nothing else will land before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 9-9 DRAW after the point deduction but another close round, 28-28 DRAW overall

ROUND FOUR: Edwards shows the leg kicks again as the round starts, then jabs the body. Leg kick from Edwards. Edwards with an inside leg kick. Usman fires a few punches but they don’t find the target. Bit of a left hook from Usman. Both men throw front kicks. Edwards kicks Usman down, looks to get on top but Usman wrestles back up immediately and forces a clinch on the fence. Usman can’t keep control and Edwards slips free. Bit of a right from Edwards. Edwards lands a body kick. Bit of a right from Usman. Edwards lands another leg kick. Bit of a left hook from Edwards then he avoids a clinch. More lefts from Edwards, Usman is able to push forward though and tie up, he nearly finishes a double leg but has to settle for a clinch. Edwards lands a knee as they break then a left hook. Usman keeps pressuring forward, he forces another clinch on the fence. Edwards then slips free. Usman goes southpaw briefly but can’t find anything. Bit of a right from Usman. Usman tries a takedown that doesn’t go anywhere as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Edwards, 38-37 Edwards overall

ROUND FIVE: They touch gloves for the final round. Front kick from Edwards. Bit of a right from Usman. Edwards with a head kick that partially lands. Inside leg kick from Edwards. Usman tries a takedown, that hits the fence and again Edwards fights his way free. Edwards lands a left hand then an uppercut. Bit of a head kick from Edwards but Usman wont stop coming forward. Edwards with an uppercut then an elbow. There’s more pep in Usman’s step but he’s not firing much. Usman tries another takedown on the fence, Edwards is again able to defend and separate. Inside leg kick from Edwards. Some jabs from Edwards and he avoids the counters. Calf kick from Edwards Usman didn’t like that. Edwards lands a knee. Usman tries another takedown but Edwards again defends and they break. Body kick from Edwards then they trade punches. Edwards lands a knee but Usman gets him down to his seat against the fence. Quick wall walk from Edwards though Usman has moved to the back, then Edwards slips free. Usman forces another clinch on the fence. Edwards is fighting him off as I get some feed issues. Thanks Comcast. They’re clinched as my feed comes back and Edwards spins free. Edwards lands an inside leg kick. Usman tries another takedown but again Edwards shrugs him off and they trade in close as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Edwards, 48-46 Edwards overall but that point deduction will loom large and this could go any number of ways

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER and STILL UFC UFC Welterweight champion – Leon Edwards via majority decision (47-47, 48-47 x2)

No complaints here, Usman just struggled to find a lot of effective offense but if there’s a card out there for Usman I don’t think that’s unfair. Heck of a close fight. Mic time for the champion, Edwards leads the crowd in a chant of “headshot dead” briefly. He felt he deserved the win as Usman took the cleaner shots then puts over Usman as a great fighter who pushed him harder than anyone else. He mentions trying to set up the high kick again but Usman and his coaches were well ready for it. Asked about how close the fight was he knew it was close and had to deliver in the fifth round. The crowd shows Edwards a ton of love. When asked who he wants to defend against, he dismisses Colby Covington and says he might be watching a few other welterweights coming up.

Usman gets an interview as well, he feels he won the fight but knew it was close and puts over Edwards as having a great game plan. He says he’s not done and plans on getting back to the title level, then puts over Edwards and plays a bit with the crowd. When he’s asked about the future Usman says he’ll be back pretty soon, he just likes to stay busy but does want to spend time with his family.

Before things close we cut to Colby Covington, who was our backup for the main event, and he gets interview with Megan Olivi. He wasn’t impressed with Edwards and feels he’s gotten soft, he expects Edwards to come see him. Asked about the outcome he felt Edwards deserved to win as Usman didn’t do enough but knew the fight was close. He puts over Edwards’ defensive wrestling, but feels the way style that he brings will give Edwards problems especially since Colby is a southpaw which gives Edwards problems and he’d like to fight for the belt in July. He wants to be in on the biggest event of the year, international fight week, and feels he’s ready for this moment. To close he thinks he matches up very well with Edwards and thinks he can beat him anywhere, he’s got the fire burning right now and wants to claim that title.

Well on that note, UFC 286 comes to a close. Thank you everyone for reading, be that live or after the fact, I really appreciate all of you. We’ll unpack all of the results from this tomorrow on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast, so if you want more detailed breakdowns and thoughts give it a listen on your podcast platform of choice. We’ll be previewing UFC on ESPN 43 as well, which is headlined by a great bantamweight fight between Cory Sandhagen and Marlon Vera. I’ll be back next week to cover that event, and I hope you’ll be back here as well. Until then thank you all for reading, stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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