Over the weekend, MMA fans from around the world tuned in to watch UFC 286 play out at The O2 Arena in London. As always, the occasion’s final bout took center stage. In this case, it was a title fight and trilogy matchup between Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman, which the former won by decision. Before getting to the details of the big fight though, here’s a quick look at the rest of the Main Card as well.
Marvin Vettori defeats Roman Dolidze (Middleweight)
This middleweight bout was expected by some to be a feisty one, given that it paired two former training partners together. It was also billed as a somewhat unpredictable fight, with Vettori taking to the octagon for the first time since September, and Dolidze coming in on a winning streak, but by no means in dominant form. There was some sense that this one could go any which way, despite the fact that Vettori was a clear betting favorite.
As it turned out, it was a somewhat plodding fight, with Vettori –– “The Italian Dream” –– ultimately prevailing by unanimous decision. Dolidze did some damage early, but Vettori kept his composure and maintained a slight edge for the duration of the bout.
Jennifer Maia defeats Casey O’Neill (Flyweight)
This flyweight fight was exciting on paper even before it got started. Casey O’Neill is one of the true up-and-comers in the women’s division, and entered UFC 286 at 9-0-0, having polished off a handful of veterans before being sidelined for most of 2022 with a torn ACL. Jennifer Maia, meanwhile, was to take on the role of the veteran hoping to interrupt O’Neill’s ascent.
The odds favored the up-and-comer O’Neill despite the fact that it was her first bout back from injury. In the end however, it was Maia who prevailed by unanimous decision. The veteran Brazilian primarily utilized her kickboxing prowess to get the better of several frenzied exchanges. O’Neill put up a tremendous fight in the third round, but it wasn’t enough to sway the judges’ decision.
Gunnar Nelson defeats Bryan Barberena (Welterweight)
The welterweight bout between Gunnar Nelson and Bryan Barberena was perhaps the most anticlimactic of the night, though it still made for a fun watch. Nelson entered as a heavy favorite despite having become something of a part-time fighter. Sure enough however, not having fought for about a year didn’t seem to bother the Icelandic veteran. Nelson had Barberena down on the canvas early on, and earned a victory by submission moments later.
Justin Gaethje defeats Rafael Fiziev (Lightweight)
This might have wound up being the most dramatic fight of the night. Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev were expected to have a tight contest, with the latter being a slight favorite heading in. True to this expectation, they seemed evenly matched throughout the early stages. Rather than being a more cautious back-and-forth (like, say, the Vettori-Dolidze bout earlier in the evening), this one was a slugfest.
Simply put, both fighters did damage. Fiziev used his superior speed and general ferocity to gain what might have been the slightest of early edges. Gaethje withstood one barrage after another and responded in kind, however. The American then closed strong, with a thrilling flurry of offense that earned him a majority decision victory.
Both fighters emerged from this one looking formidable moving forward.
Leon Edwards defeats Kamaru Usman (Welterweight Title Fight)
This headline title fight made for a lot of interesting analysis heading in. It was set up as the rubber match between two very capable fighters, with two factors having defined their previous meetings. The first was that Kamaru Usman had proven to be the superior fighter, essentially dominating both bouts. The second, however, was that when Edwards won the second fight with a shocking knockout kick (despite trailing to that point), he may have rattled the more veteran fighter.
Edwards held the title coming in, but was perceived at most books as a slight (yet clear) underdog. The prevailing opinion was that if Usman could shake off the knockout and avoid the kind of late-fight complacency that might have led to it in the first place, his superior skill should make the difference. This time around however, Edwards would prove to be not just the winner, but by a slim margin, the better fighter.
The first round belonged to the title holder, who managed to land one big punch and a few monster kicks early on. Usman held his ground, but it was something of a statement by Edwards –– as if to communicate that he hadn’t earned his split in the previous fights merely with one lucky kick. The second round, however, saw Usman coming back with a few big hits and a takedown that seemed to even up the fight.
The third round was an even back-and-forth, with Edwards focused on landing big kicks while Usman used his fists and arms and aimed for takedowns. It was a tricky round to score, and one that didn’t provide an edge for either fighter. By the fourth round, however, it became clear that Edwards was establishing an advantage. Usman didn’t fade or fall, but the relentless kicking approach of the title holder began to take a visible toll.
With Usman feeling the pain in the fifth, he did his best to take the fight to the canvas. Edwards proved slightly savvier, however, landing a few more punches and confirming, for the judges, which way this fight was going. In the end, he earned a 48-46, 48-46, 47-47 majority decision victory over his rival, retaining his title in the process.
Leon Edwards emerged with his title in hand and a 2-1 advantage in the most important rivalry in his career. It was an exciting end to an excellent night of action at UFC 286.
