Leon Edwards ignores defeat in his first fight with Kamaru Usman and provokes the champion

K. Usman (left) and L. Edwards (right) faced each other for the first time in 2015. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram

Almost seven years after the first duel, Leon edwards will finally have the opportunity to share the octagon again with the Nigerian Kamaru Usman. In an interview with 'CBS Sports', the Jamaican fighter 'ignored' his defeat to the now welterweight champion (under 77,1kg) in 2015 and provoked the current belt owner by claiming that 'his body is breaking down'. The two athletes will face each other, for the second time, in UFC 278, scheduled for next Saturday (20).

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“All I’ve been doing is training. I did three camps to face (Khamzat) Chimaev. I did a lot of camps and improved a lot. Now is the perfect time for us to fight. I think those years, looking back now, were blessings in disguise. It gave me time to hone my skills and polish what I needed to polish while Usman competed, but he's also been in wars. His body is breaking down and I think now is the perfect time. I'm not going there thinking about that. I'm going to be prepared for the so-called best pound-for-pound fighter. I go there totally focused on him, to be the best version of myself. That’s how I’m looking at it,” Edwards said.

Number two in the welterweight rankings, Leon has never been defeated since then. Since then, the Jamaican has recorded nine wins and one no-contest in his last 10 fights. 'Rocky' has a record of 19 triumphs and three setbacks as an MMA professional.