UFC 286: Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman headliner bout scheduled for Saturday, March 18, will feature the third clash between the welterweights.
The newly minted Welterweight champ Leon “Rocky” Edwards will defend his championship in his backyard in London against “The Nigerian Nightmare” in a rematch. Leon Edwards comes up after spending a long period in the background. After winning the championship at UFC 278 with a shocking head kick KO, Edwards enters his first title defense match. His most recent defeat was a decision against Usman in the opening contest. After experiencing one of the most surprising defeats of last year, Kamaru Usman will have a second chance at regaining his reputation. Usman had successfully defended his Welterweight belt 5 times, including 3 knockout victories.
Leon Edwards and Kamarudeen Usman compete in the UFC’s Welterweight division. Edwards has been a professional since 2011 and is on a ten-fight winning run. Before that, he competed for BAMMA. He is ranked No. 4 in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound standings as of 2023, while Usman is ranked No. 5. Kamaru Usman is an ex-freestyle and folkstyle wrestler with 19 straight wins before his defeat by Edwards. He was The Ultimate Fighter 21 champion, in addition to being the former UFC Welterweight champion. He is currently ranked first among men’s welterweights in the UFC as of 2022. Read on to find the BettingPremier’s UFC 286 fight breakdown.
Details of UFC 286: Edwards vs. Usman 3
Main event: Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3
Date: March 18, 2023 (Saturday)
Time: 5:00 PM ET / 2:00 PM PST / 9:00 PM GMT / 2:30 AM IST (next day)
Venue: O2 Arena, London, U.K.
Where to watch UFC 286, Edwards vs. Usman 3?
ESPN network broadcasts the event in the United States and on its OTT platform ESPN+, which offers live streaming for its subscribers.
BT sport will officially broadcast UFC in the U.K.
In Canada, BELL holds the right to broadcast the fights.
The official website of UFC offers a UFC fight pass for viewers and fans worldwide to live stream the event based on a subscription.
Viewers in Australia can watch the fight on Kayo as a PPV event.
In addition, bet365.com provides live streaming for active bettors on fight days.
UFC 286 Fight card
Main card
Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman (Welterweight)
Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev (Lightweight)
Joanne Wood vs. Luana Coralina (Women’s flyweight)
Gunnar Nelson vs. Bryan Barberena (Welterweight)
Marvin Vettori vs. Roman Dolidze (Middleweight)
Prelims
Nathaniel Wood vs. Lerone Murphy (Featherweight)
Jack Shore vs. Makwan Amirkhani (Featherweight)
Sam Peterson vs. Yanal Ashmoz (Lightweight)
Early Prelims
Muhammad Mokaev vs. Jafel Filho (Flyweight)
Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Duško Todorović (Middleweight)
Jake Hadley vs. Malcolm Gordon (Flyweight)
Jennifer Maia vs. Casey O’Neill (Women’s flyweight)
Jai Herbert vs. Ludovit Klein (Lightweight)
Juliana Miller vs. Veronica Macedo (Women’s flyweight)
Leon Edwards Profile
Country: England
Age: 31
Height: 6’ 0”
Reach: 74”
Total Fights: 24
Record: 20-3 (7 Knockouts)
Kamaru Usman Profile
Country: Nigerian
Age: 35
Height: 6’ 0”
Reach: 76”
Total Fights: 22
Record: 20-2 (9 Knockouts)
Prediction
UFC 286: Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3
Usman is favored to win the most recent UFC 286: Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman fight despite losing to Edwards in their last encounter. Usman was winning until he was eliminated in the 5th round by a lethal head kick. That was the Nigerian superstar’s first defeat in the UFC. Usman will be inspired to strip Edwards of the championship. One of the main reasons the Nigerian is so lethal in the octagon is his sheer strength. He has successfully defended his title over 5 times, defeating Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington. He is a skilled wrestler and effective in the clinch. Moreover, the champion is a compelling choice in the UFC 286 bout because of his desire for retribution.
Edwards has been a decent fighter ever since making his UFC debut. He is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a capable welterweight opponent. He continued to advance in the welterweight division despite suffering a defeat against Usman in 2015. He beat Rafael dos Anjos and Gunnar Nelson during his eight straight victories. Leg kicks are not his strongest suit; therefore, his knockout of Usman was surprising. Edwards is a skilled jabber and has excellent clinch defense skills. It put a stop to the Nigerian champion’s 15-fight UFC winning streak. Yet Usman typically prevails by seizing the initiative. He is incredibly meticulous and adept at using chances.
The Pick: Usman via Decision.
