UFC 278 LIVE results: Leon Edwards knocks out Kamaru Usman with head kick in final minute

Re-live updates as Edwards became Britain’s second ever UFC champion with a stunning, late knockout

Leon Edwards KOs Kamaru Usman to win UFC welterweight title at UFC 278

Leon Edwards won the UFC welterweight title in the most stunning fashion on Saturday night, knocking Kamaru Usman out cold with one minute left in the main event of UFC 278. Edwards was down on all three judges’ scorecards and looked to have nothing left, but he put the champion away with a perfect head kick to become Britain’s second ever UFC champion. In doing so, Edwards dethroned the UFC’s consensus pound-for-pound king and avenged a decision loss to the Nigerian-American from 2015.

After a bright start for Jamaican-born Edwards, with the 30-year-old taking down Usman in the first round, the champion looked to be on course for yet another victory. No UFC fighter had ever scored an official takedown of the “Nigerian Nightmare” before, but Edwards could not build on that early moment – which was shocking enough and nearly resulted in a submission – as Usman employed his grappling prowess to build a lead over the next three rounds.

But with a minute left in the final frame, with Edwards down three rounds to one, the Briton feinted a one-two with his hands, leading Usman to dip his head to the right. It was there that his skull met the shin of Edwards, putting Usman out cold. “I’m champion of the world, champion of the world, look at me now,” Edwards said tearfully. “I was born in Jamaica with nothing. I lived in a wooden shack with a zinc roof. I told you, mum, I’d change our lives.” Re-live the UFC 278 main event, main card and prelims, below:

UFC 278 LIVE

• Edwards def. Usman (C) via fifth-round KO (head kick, 4:04)
• Costa def. Rockhold via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Dvalishvili def. Aldo via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
• Pudilova def. Yanan via second-round TKO (elbows, 4:04)
• Pedro def. Hunsucker via first-round TKO (body kick and ground strikes, 1:05)

[21 August 2022 03:12 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 278 LIVE

And we’re on to the main card, where we’ll provide round-by-round updates!

[21 August 2022 03:11 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 278 LIVE

Marcin Tybura def. Alexandr Romanov via majority decision (29-29, 29-28, 28-28).

[21 August 2022 02:37 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 278 LIVE

Jared Gordon def. Leonardo Santos via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

[21 August 2022 02:11 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 278 LIVE

Sean Woodson vs Luis Saldana ends as split draw (29-27, 27-29, 28-28).

[21 August 2022 01:33 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 278 LIVE

Ange Loosa def. AJ Fletcher via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28).

[21 August 2022 01:32 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 278 LIVE

We’ll have updates from the remaining prelim fights as they each finish, then round-by-round updates from the main card!

[21 August 2022 01:05 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 278 LIVE

Well, Britain’s other world champion hopeful came up short tonight.

While we wait for the remaining prelims to get under way, why not have a read of our Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk 2 report?

[21 August 2022 00:59 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 278 LIVE

Leon Edwards may just be the best welterweight on the planet. There are few fighters who combine such crisp striking and efficient grappling with such enviable ring IQ. The Jamaican-born Briton is truly the epitome of a mixed martial artist, and his skillset might even be unmatched in eclecticism at 170lbs. The problem is, to prove himself as the best on the planet, Edwards must do something he has already failed to do: beat Kamaru Usman, in the main event of UFC 278 this Saturday.

Edwards, however, dismisses any notion that he is haunted by his sole defeat in the UFC, one which gave way to a nine-fight win streak that has finally earned the luckless but patient 30-year-old a shot at the gold.

“I think it’s more just a memory now,” the Birmingham native says of his 2015 loss to the man who now reigns atop the division. “I watched it back a few times. It’ll be two different fights; I think whoever approaches [the rematch] thinking it’s gonna be the same exact fight, they’re gonna lose. I’ve literally erased it from my memory, I’m just going in there thinking this is a brand new opponent.”

Full interview:

[21 August 2022 00:56 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 278 LIVE

The early prelims are in fact in the books, here’s how they played out:

Amir Albazi def. Francisco Figueiredo via first-round submission (rear naked choke, 4:34)

Aoriqileng def. Jay Perrin via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Victor Altamirano def. Daniel da Silva via first-round TKO (ground strikes, 3:39)

[21 August 2022 00:52 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 278 LIVE

Main card

Kamaru Usman (C) vs Leon Edwards 2 (welterweight title)

Paulo Costa vs Luke Rockhold (middleweight)

Jose Aldo vs Merab Dvalishvili (bantamweight)

Marcin Tybura vs Alexander Romanov (heavyweight)

Tyson Pedro vs Harry Hunsucker (light heavyweight)

Prelims

Leonardo Santos vs Jared Gordon (lightweight)

Wu Yanan vs Lucie Pudilova (women’s bantamweight)

Sean Woodson vs Luis Saldana (featherweight)

AJ Fletcher vs Ange Loosa (welterweight)

Early prelims

Amir Albazi vs Francisco Figueiredo (flyweight)

Aoriqileng vs Jay Perrin (bantamweight)

Daniel da Silva vs Victor Altamirano (flyweight)