Leon
Edwards nonetheless occupies the throne.
Kicks to the physique, head and legs, extraordinary takedown protection
and stellar counterstriking carried the undisputed
Final Preventing Championship welterweight titleholder to a
majority choice over Kamaru
Usman within the emotionally charged UFC
286 headliner on Saturday on the O2 Enviornment in London. Scores
had been 48-46, 48-46 and 47-47.
Edwards (21-3, 13-2 UFC) completes his trilogy in opposition to “The
Nigerian Nightmare” with a 2-1 benefit and now holds sway over
the 170-pound weight class.
Usman (20-3, 15-2 UFC) struggled and in the end didn’t pry the
champion away from his gameplan. Edwards zeroed in on the physique and
legs with repeated kicks, staggered the Onx Sports activities consultant
with a knee strike off the break within the second spherical and managed to
decrease his rival’s positive aspects within the grappling exchanges. Usman
appeared to show the nook in Spherical 3, the place he additionally benefitted
from some extent deduction on account of a pair of fence grabs, however momentum
proved elusive. Edwards saved his greatest work for when it mattered
most. He stonewalled Usman’s more and more determined makes an attempt for
takedowns within the fifth spherical, pairing these efforts with a couple of
partially blocked head kicks, some short-range uppercuts and an
beautiful standing elbow.
Indomitable Gaethje Downs Fiziev
Former World Collection of Preventing champion Justin
Gaethje known as upon a potent jab, energy punching combos
and cruel low kicks, as he captured a majority choice over
Rafael
Fiziev within the three-round light-weight co-main occasion. Two of the
three judges—Mark Collett and Clemens Werner—noticed it 29-28 for
Gaethje, whereas Paul Sutherland scored it a 28-28 draw.
It was the barnburner that everybody anticipated. Fiziev’s blindingly
quick arms and a collection of devastating entrance kicks to the physique had been
the story early on. Gaethje (24-4, 7-4 UFC) weathered the assault
and turned as much as the warmth with hooks to the top at distance and
thudding uppercuts at shut vary. Fiziev (12-2, 6-2 UFC) appeared to
reply firstly of Spherical 3, the place he clipped the Trevor Wittman
protégé with a clear one-two and unleashed one other entrance kick to
the physique. Gaethje, nonetheless, refused to be denied. He introduced his
crushing jab into play an increasing number of, paired it with uppercuts that
despatched spit, blood and snot flying and blended in a tactical takedown
within the closing seconds.
The setback was Fiziev’s first since April 20, 2019 and slammed the
door on a six-fight profitable streak.
Nelson Armbar Dismisses Barberena
Gunnar
Nelson disposed of Bryan
Barberena with an armbar within the first spherical of their
welterweight function. A brief-notice substitute for Daniel
Rodriguez, Barberena (18-10, 9-8 UFC) raised the white flag of
give up 4:51 into Spherical 1.
Nelson (19-5-1, 10-5 UFC) walked by way of a couple of low kicks, punched
his approach into the clinch and executed a single-leg takedown. From
there, a sense of inevitability took maintain. Nelson chipped away
with elbows, progressed to full mount and utilized extra
ground-and-pound till the chance he desired introduced itself.
With time ticking away, the Icelandic grappling savant transitioned
to the armbar and compelled the faucet.
It was the twelfth first-round end of Nelson’s profession.
Maia Stymies Unbeaten O’Neill
Chute Boxe mainstay Jennifer
Maia outboxed the beforehand undefeated Casey
O’Neill to a unanimous choice in a three-round ladies’s
flyweight attraction. Maia (21-9-1, 6-5 UFC) swept the scorecards
with 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 marks from the three-member
judiciary.
O’Neill (9-1, 4-1 UFC) didn’t make vital changes in
time. Maia used the previous Everlasting MMA champion’s aggression
in opposition to her and walked the Irvine, Scotland, native into two-,
three- and four-punch combos for the higher a part of two
rounds. O’Neill diversified her assault in Spherical 3, did a greater job
of incorporating kicks and matched the Brazilian’s output, solely to
fall brief within the eyes of the judges.
Maia, 34, will enter her subsequent task on the energy of
back-to-back victories.
Surgical Vettori Outduels Dolidze
Former Venator Preventing Championship titleholder Marvin
Vettori gained for the seventh time in 9 appearances, as he
laid declare to a unanimous choice over Roman
Dolidze in a three-round middleweight showcase. All three
cageside judges scored it for Vettori (19-6-1, 9-4-1 UFC): 29-28,
29-28 and 30-27.
Dolidze (12-2, 6-2 UFC) headhunted for the length, connecting
with clubbing blows from each arms at varied factors. Vettori
answered with repeated kicks to the within and out of doors of the lead
leg, a sneaky jab and occasional combos. His surgical
method curried favor with the judges. Dolidze excelled at shut
vary, usually cornering the Italian alongside the fence. Nevertheless, his
lack of output—significantly in Spherical 2—proved expensive.
The loss snapped Dolidze’s four-fight profitable streak.
