‘What a shot’: Kamaru Usman praises Leon Edwards for stunning knockout at UFC 278

Edwards won the UFC welterweight belt from Usman on Saturday with a head kick in the final minute

Kamaru Usman has admitted that Leon Edwards landed a ‘great shot’ to knock him out on Saturday and win the UFC welterweight title.

Edwards was down on the scorecards in the UFC 278 main event but produced a stunning head kick with one minute left in the fight. The strike knocked out Usman, as Edwards avenged a 2015 loss to the Nigerian-American and became Britain’s second ever UFC champion.

In his first interview since losing the welterweight title, Usman told TMZ: “Everything is great. It was just... what a shot. It was a great shot. I’m talking Hail Mary in the Super Bowl, last 10 seconds.

“That was a great shot, man. It’s like everyone’s more sad about it than I am. Everyone’s more emotional about it than I am, but that’s because... For me that’s a good thing, because it lets me know that people care, people are invested.”

Usman, 35, was on a 19-fight win streak heading into UFC 278, having won the welterweight title in 2019 and defended it successfully in five straight bouts.

Meanwhile, Jamaican-born Edwards, 30, had won nine fights in a row since his 2015 loss to Usman.

“I’m in a rare opportunity,” Usman said about his intention to win back the gold. “I have a rare opportunity now to just inspire and motivate and show people that you can fall and get back up. I’m excited.”

UFC president Dana White has suggested that a trilogy bout between Usman and Edwards could take place at London’s Wembley Stadium next year.