Leon Edwards Knocks Out Kamaru Usman With ‘Head-Kick’ To Win UFC Welterweight Title [Video]

British fighter, Leon Edwards has defeated Nigeria’s Kamaru Usman at the UFC 278 main event at the Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, United States.

Kamara Usman Suffers Defeat To Leon Edwards

Seven years ago, Usman outpointed Edwards as part of what became a 19-fight win streak for the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’, earning him the title of UFC’s pound-for-pound king.

Edwards also came into this on an undefeated streak, winning nine bouts in a row, while patiently waiting for his first title shot in UFC welterweight.

The Jamaica-born Briton has finally avenged his loss to Usman, leaving the ring as welterweight champion after landing a vicious kick that sent the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ sprawling to the canvas with just seconds left of their five-bout clash.

During the fight on Sunday morning, both fighters started by throwing caution to the wind, and a confident Usman landing solid blows on Edwards’ face and sides. The Brit countered and locked Usman down getting his own clean hits in.

In the subsequent rounds, Usman kept his feet on the ground as an ankle injury hampered his movement, but he was still able to land some solid punches on Edwards.

The fight wasn’t close as the fourth round ended with Usman winning 3-1 and only needed to avoid a knockout to retain his title and match MMA Greatest of All Time Anderson Silva with six successive title defences.

However, in round five, the unlikely happened as the Brit feinted and tricked Usman, using the opening to land a solid left kick on Usman’s head, which sent the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ to an early rest.

On becoming the new UFC welterweight champion, Edwards said, “I feel great. They all said I couldn’t do it, they all said I couldn’t do it. Look at me now.

“It doesn’t matter. From the trenches. I’m built like this. I go until the final bell. Pound-for-pound, head shot, dead.

“I told you we could win a belt from the UK, now look at me. There is no pound-for-pound, the belt belongs to nobody.

“I told you, mum, I’d change our lives. World champion, world champion, look at me now. I was born in Jamaica with nothing. I lived in a wood shack with a zinc roof.”

Watch the video below:

THE UNTHINKABLE 🤯

Leon Edwards knocks Kamaru Usman out in the fifth round to become the 🆕 Welterweight World Champion 🏆 #UFC278 pic.twitter.com/cISjaw57wa

— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) August 21, 2022

This comes a few months after Kamaru Usman retained his welterweight title after knocking out his opponent, Jorge Masvidal, in the second round in the main event of UFC 261.