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Leon Edwards will defend his welterweight title for the first time at UFC 286 in front of home fans as the fight card takes place in London, England.
'Rocky' sent shockwaves around the MMA world after his thunderous head-kick KO win over Kamaru Usman in the dying embers of round 5. Edwards now expects another KO victory when the pair face off for the third time in London.
The UFC welterweight champion spoke to Adam Catterall of BT Sport ahead of the trilogy fight with 'The Nigerian Nightmare.' He stated that he expects a "totally different fight" and will carry confidence into the bout, knowing that he is undefeated on home soil.
"This time around it'll be a totally different fight. I've never lost in the UK, never lost at UFC: London. I'm taking that confidence into it, taking confidence knowing I can knock him out into [the fight]. I'm taking confidence knowing I can take him down into it. Taking confidence knowing that once it hits the mat and I'm on top, I'm way better [than him]."
Watch the interview below from 11:40:
Leon Edwards was the first man to officially take Kamaru Usman down in a fight, as well as the first man to knockout 'The Nigerian Nightmare.'
The pair are currently 1-1 against each other, as Usman defeated Edwards in 2017 at UFC on Fox 17. Bragging rights, as well as the UFC title, will be on the line come UFC 286 in March.
Leon Edwards admits rumor that Kamaru Usman's hand injury had him worried
Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman are set to headline UFC 286 in March, but there was a time when 'Rocky' wasn't sure that the trilogy fight would take place.
Rumors of Usman nursing a hand injury began to circle in late 2022, and pictures emerged of 'The Nigerian Nightmare' wearing a wrist brace at a local MMA event.
See the photo below:
The rumors of Usman's nagging injury began to worry Leon Edwards, but after a phone call with the UFC, 'Rocky' was assured that the bout would go ahead as planned.
Edwards recently spoke to Sky Sports ahead of UFC 286 and said:
"I saw rumors popping round on social media saying his hand injury, so I phoned the UFC straight away like, 'What's going on?!' They were like, 'Nah we've spoken to him and his team and he's fine. He'll be there in March.' At the start I was a bit scared, but after that all good."
Watch the interview below from 5:00:
