UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards is set for a legacy-defining test on Saturday when he heads into his trilogy fight against Kamaru Usman as the underdog.
Edwards, 31, suffered the last loss of his career against Usman – a unanimous decision back in 2015 as he failed to solve the wrestling-heavy attack from the 'Nigerian Nightmare'.
It took nearly seven years for Edwards to earn the rematch, rattling off nine wins in a row over that span to force his way into a world title fight.
He got his opportunity at UFC 278 in August, and while he showed some clear improvement from their first meeting – including landing a rare takedown against Usman – the champion looked set to extend his perfect run in the UFC to 15-0 through four rounds.
But just minutes away from a decision victory, Edwards did the unthinkable. After repeatedly throwing his left roundhouse kick to the body and legs throughout the opening 22 minutes, Edwards sent the same kick high, catching Usman clean as he instinctively leaned into it and defended his body.
It was a moment that will live forever, with the man aptly nicknamed 'Rocky' coming from the clouds to score a monumental upset and conquer the fighting world.
The passion, pain and frustration from his decade-long journey to the top was evident during his famous post-fight interview, where he stared into the camera yelling, "You all said I couldn't do it – well look at me now".
Nobody can ever take that night away from Edwards, and people will still be talking about it long after both he and Usman have hung up their gloves – but the reality is that his dream run may be in its final hours as the trilogy approaches.
While Edwards has proved he is capable of defeating Usman – something none of his previous opponents can say – it is still hard to imagine how he can win three out of five rounds against the former champion.
The grappling advantage for Usman is significant, and he is likely to lean into that even further after the painful illustration about what can happen if he settles for a kickboxing match.
Even after Edwards fought off the grappling attack from Usman in the first round of their title fight, Usman almost assuredly took rounds two, three and four, and really looked in no danger down the stretch until the fight-ending blow.
Usman is simply better at winning rounds, meaning Edwards likely has to repeat his knockout finish to defend his belt for the first time in front of a packed O2 Arena.
It would be unfair to label the historic head-kick as a fluke, or luck. You do not accidentally set someone up for a perfect finishing shot and land it with such force, at such a desperate situation in the biggest fight of your life.
But the thing about once-in-a-lifetime knockouts is that, by definition, they don't happen twice – and a fighter the calibre of Usman will not make the same mistake again.
“They’ll bear witness to a slaughter”- Blake promises dominant display in RFL Ocho main event on Saturday
Rough Fight League (RFL) Amateur Lightweight Champion Shiaeine ‘Da Great’ Blake says fans can expect him to make quick work of opponent Daron ‘Avatar’ Weir when the two lock horns in the main event of RFL Ocho at Funland in Hope Gardens in Kingston on Saturday.
‘Da Great,’ who has held the number one spot across three weight classes in the Caribbean, will be making his professional debut against Weir, an accomplished boxer, who is now stepping into the professional MMA scene after taking this fight on short notice.
“I envision him laying on the canvas within eight minutes looking up at me and wondering what went wrong,” Blake told Sportsmax.tv on Tuesday.
“Fans are coming out expecting a fight but they’ll bear witness to a slaughter,” added Blake.
Knowing that Weir is coming from a strictly boxing background and this being an MMA fight, one would think that the obvious play for Blake is to lean into a wrestling-heavy style on Saturday.
The 29-year-old has other ideas, however, noting that his ego has got the best of him ahead of their bout.
“Knowing that Daron’s style is boxing heavy, I’ve allowed my ego to get a hold of me and challenged myself to beat him primarily with boxing,” Blake said.
“I’ve prepared to beat him where he’s best at. Boxing is his hope, but there cannot be despair without hope so I’ll beat him where he’s best and watch him crumble,” he added.
Blake last fought at the IMMAF Pan American Championships in Monterrey in September, losing via kneebar submission to Mexico’s Diego Rangel in round two of their three-round fight.
That fight is in the past and Blake says he’s going into Saturday’s fight with a clear mind.
“The loss hasn’t really affected me mentally of physically. You win and you lose in sports. That’s given, analyze it, learn from it and move onward,” he said.
Rough Fight League 'Ocho' set to ignite Kingston with explosive MMA and Kickboxing showdowns at Hope Gardens
The Rough Fight League (RFL) Ocho is set to take place this Saturday, October 26, at Funland in Hope Gardens, Kingston, promising an action-packed night of mixed martial arts (MMA) and kickboxing. The event, which starts at 8 pm, will feature eight thrilling bouts, including two high-profile main events that fans won’t want to miss.
Headlining the card, Shiaeinie ‘Da Great’ Blake, a dominant figure in Caribbean MMA, will make his professional debut against Daron ‘Avatar’ Weir. Blake, who has held the number one spot across three weight classes in the Caribbean, will be tested by Weir, an accomplished boxer now stepping into the professional MMA scene. “We expect fireworks from that,” said event organizer Kyle Chin. Weir’s transition to MMA promises an explosive bout, as both fighters bring top-tier experience in their respective disciplines.
In another main event, Theron ‘The Iron Prince’ Rose Green will take on Jaheem ‘Imru Makonnen’ Morrison in an amateur welterweight championship fight. Rose Green, an emerging MMA star who has already made waves with wins in Trinidad and Jamaica, will face Morrison, a skilled kickboxer building a strong reputation in the sport. “It’s a classic wrestler versus striker match-up,” Chin explained, noting Rose Green’s well-rounded skill set, honed through international competition in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, beach wrestling, and MMA.
'Tank' Thompson
Adding to the excitement is Tyrece ‘Tank’ Thompson, the 2024 Pan American Super Heavyweight International Mixed Martial Arts Champion, who will be competing against Samuel Campbell. Thompson, fresh off his Pan Am gold, will look to continue his dominance in the super heavyweight division.
The event will also see the pro debut of Demar ‘Force’ Haslam, RFL’s 145-pound amateur champion, who will face Nakia Anderson in what promises to be another intense match. “It’s going to be an exciting night,” Chin said, emphasizing that the card will feature a mix of MMA and kickboxing fights, showcasing the depth of talent in the region.
This is the first major RFL event of the year, following the pandemic-induced hiatus. “We did have a level of consistency with seven events, but we are trying to return to that now,” Chin said, adding that the sport continues to grow in Jamaica. “Jamaica has always been known as a strong striking country. We have good boxing, karate, kickboxing, and now we are seeing an evolution in our game.”
With a new venue, a stacked fight card, and the return of some of Jamaica’s top combat athletes, Rough Fight League Ocho is set to be an unforgettable night for MMA and kickboxing fans.
Tickets for the event can be purchased at Jacana New Kingston, Jangas Soundbar, The Life Store and Jacana Manor Park.
New Champion: Muhammad strikes Welterweight gold after dominant win over Edwards in UFC 304 main event
A new UFC Welterweight champion has been crowned as Belal Muhammad dethroned Leon Edwards in a stunning unanimous decision victory in the main event of UFC 304 at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England on Saturday.
In the highly anticipated rematch, Muhammad, now the first ever Palestinian-American UFC champion, put on a wrestling clinic to neutralize Leon Edwards’ striking and secure a unanimous decision win.
The judges scored the bout 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46, all in favor of Muhammad.
Muhammad’s game plan was clear from the outset as he repeatedly took Edwards down and controlled him on the ground.
Despite Edwards’ attempts to escape and land strikes from the bottom, Muhammad’s grappling prowess and improved striking kept the champion at bay throughout the 25 minutes.
“It sounds like a lot of the people booing have a lot of tears in their eyes right now,” an emotional Muhammad said in his post-fight interview.
“I’ve worked my whole life for this moment, and I’m just getting started,” he added.
Edwards put his lackluster performance down to fatigue in the week leading up to the fight.
“No surprises. My body just felt tired from round one. Congrats to Belal. He got the job done and we’ll get it back again,” Edwards said after the fight.
The Kingston-born southpaw was attempting to successfully defend his title for the third time.
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