Leon Edwards was completed, they stated.
Simply combating to make to the bell, they stated.
He’s damaged, they stated.
Edwards stated in any other case.
“Head shot, bang! Accomplished!” declared the exuberant new UFC welterweight champion, simply moments earlier than his hand was raised and the belt was his.
Effectively, sure, it was a head shot — a last-minute left excessive kick, particularly — that went “bang” on the chin of Kamaru Usman, the now former pound-for-pound No. 1 fighter on the earth. And he was most undoubtedly completed. Like, completed for actual; not the way in which they stated.
However, come on, Champ. Let’s not oversimplify it. What occurred at UFC 278 in Salt Lake Metropolis was probably the most sudden turns of occasions this younger sport has given us.
See, there have been so many causes for the plenty to put in writing off Edwards — within the midst of what he instructed reporters later was one in every of his worst performances — by the point that punishing head kick went shin to chin on the longtime king of the 170-pound division. How concerning the three consecutive rounds of Usman scoring takedown after takedown? Or all these vast hooks to the physique the now-unseated champ was touchdown on the cage?
There was a time when Usman vs. Edwards was aggressive — dramatic, even. Earlier than that attractive out-of-the-blue kick, Edwards turned loads of heads by touchdown the primary takedown Usman has given up throughout his UFC profession, which started with successful “The Final Fighter” in 2015 simply 5 months earlier than Edwards misplaced the primary assembly between the 2 and had left his promotional document flawless — till now.
Very like that “stunning” kick — Edwards’ description, when given the possibility to admire his handiwork with Joe Rogan within the octagon afterward — the takedown got here out of nowhere. Spectacularly, Edwards discovered himself in mount on the champ, a compromised place from which we’d but to see Usman work at this stage.
A again take, a bit fishing for a rear-naked choke, and a few highly effective elbows and punches punctuated a transparent spherical for a challenger who had obtained little buzz, this regardless of being on the cusp of this championship alternative relationship again to the daybreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Don’t neglect: Edwards was to combat former champ Tyron Woodley — approach earlier than the entire Jake Paul debacle dulled his shine — and will have earned a crack at Usman with a win two years in the past
We’ll by no means understand how that model of Edwards would have fared. However we noticed what he was able to as he banked the primary body. And the person nicknamed “Rocky,” — whose cornermen, as Corridor of Famer and commentator Daniel Cormier identified on the published, sounded just like the English recasts for the position of Mickey Goldmill as they barked directions to “Rock” — saved Usman sincere within the second body with some deft punches all through.
However that was the body wherein Usman, competing for the primary time this yr, started to look extra just like the dominant pressure who had efficiently defended his crown thrice in 2021. He stung Edwards to the physique. Usman put fingers on the challenger on the cage. He scored a late takedown.
And Usman piled up extra of these over the subsequent 10 minutes, leaning extra closely on his NCAA Division II-championship pedigree whereas nonetheless mixing in that assured energy punching he had labored on with the likes of coaches Henri Hooft and Trevor Wittman over time.
The singles and doubles got here extra simply because the championship rounds wore on. On one single-leg particularly, Edwards barely reacted as Usman reached from distance and plopped him down.
“I can’t clarify it. My physique simply wasn’t reacting the way it was meant to react,” Edwards instructed reporters of his efficiency via 4 rounds. “I don’t know whether or not it was altitude or what it was. … It wasn’t a cardio challenge as a lot as my physique wasn’t bodily reacting.”
Formally, fighters don’t know the place they stand in a combat. However everybody watching knew what would later be confirmed: All three judges had Usman up, 39-37. If Edwards was gonna win, he would wish a end. And he positive didn’t seem like a fighter who was about to tug out a miracle shot.
A minute in, that miracle didn’t appear to be coming. UFC analyst Din Thomas, himself a profitable coach and former fighter, shredded Edwards’ physique language.
“If it wasn’t apparent sufficient, Leon is damaged now,” Thomas stated on the published, with three minutes to go. “And the most important inform which you can at all times know it is because he doesn’t give his coach eye contact within the nook. While you don’t give him eye contact, you’re ashamed. And he’s embarrassed proper now of his personal efficiency.”
If Edwards was, certainly, damaged at that time, he positive discovered some magic glue to place the items again collectively.
Even by the tip of the twenty fourth minute of 25, Usman seemed like a positive guess to select up his gold and go residence, identical as he had completed in every of his final six fights. Edwards was engaged, however not urgent. However Usman had stopped chasing takedowns; he was comfortable to face toe-to-toe within the heart, circling, buying and selling the odd strike or two.
“He might have resigned himself to dropping a call,” Rogan stated from his commentator’s chair
And, inside 10 seconds of these phrases leaving the infamous podcaster’s lips, it occurred.
Edwards faked with a left hand, masking the same-side excessive kick that caught Usman flush. The champ’s closing second in that position got here because it so usually does on this sport: crumpling to the ground, eyes staring a gap via the roof of the venue — Vivint Enviornment, on this case.
Name it a Hail Mary when you should, however Edwards defined the method to the ending strike in opposition to what he known as Usman’s boxing-focused placing.
I believed if I went same-punch, same-kick, it might land,” Edwards stated. “… It simply landed completely.”
Formally, Edwards’ victory got here with 56 seconds to go. If he doesn’t execute that exact feint-then-kick sequence, no one’s speaking about Leon Edwards tonight. That was actual victory-from-the-jaws-of-defeat stuff within the octagon late Saturday evening. And no one noticed it coming.
“You all stated I couldn’t do it,” Edwards reminded. “Take a look at me now!”
Prefer it issues what individuals say about Edwards, anyway.
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