Sports always seem to throw up the most dramatic and unexpected situations and circumstances, resulting in the most unbelievable moments that take your breath away and last in history for a lifetime.
Add a brutal element to that, and you have combat sports. MMA and the UFC have long been providing these moments. But UFC278 may have produced the most dramatic in a long history of dramatic moments.
Leon “Rocky” Edwards produced a moment in history that will live long in the memory of UFC, MMA, combat sports and sports in general.
Against all the odds, trailing by 3 rounds to 1 and losing the fifth round, with just a minute to go. Leen Edwards delivered a head-kick knockout of Kamaru Usman that shocked the MMA world to become the new UFC welterweight champion.
That head kick victory late in the fifth round, was dramatic enough. However, the many circumstances of the fight, is what makes this one of, if not the most dramatic moment in UFC’s history.
Kamaru Usman was on a 16-fight winning streak. He has been the welterweight champion since he beat Tyron Woodley in dominating fashion in March 2019
Since this time, Usman went on a 15-fight winning streak through the division, lapping people with two wins over Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington.
As well as the likes of Sean Strickland, Demian Maia, Rafael Dos Anjos and Gilbert Burns after being dropped in the first round and then stopping the Brazilian in the second.
Usman was regarded as the no1 pound for pound fighter in the UFC, with a record of 15 straight wins was on the verge of equalling arguably the all-time best in the UFC, Anderson Silva, for title defences.
To add to that, after a very promising first round where Edwards managed to take Usman down and attempted a rare naked choke, Usman came out in the second, third and fourth rounds and shut Edwards down with his superior grappling, showing his champion’s mentality and ability.
However, the Edwards’ corner must be given credit, not just for the way they motivated their fighter between rounds when he seemed visibly downhearted by each round.
But the way they set up and prepared for that dramatic late head kick.
I recently saw a video where his head coach Henry Clemenson and boxing coach Dave Lovell were analysing Usman before the title fight and talked about Usman ducking and leaning to one side.
It was so specific, they even mentioned that the head kick cannot be straight but must come around the guard at an angle, which is exactly what Edwards did.
Another element to this is Leon Edwards was born in very humble beginnings in Jamaica. Much like Usman in Nigeria.
However, it is very rare for kids born in Jamaica to grow up and excel in sports, especially in combat sports. Naturally, you have your exceptions as Jamaica have really excelled in athletics, as well as a few in boxing and football.
However, in the UFC, although current flyweight champion Aljamain Sterling reps Jamaica, he was not born there like Edwards.
Leon then moved to Birmingham, England, when he was 6, and began training in MMA in Birmingham when he was 17, along with his brother Fabian also fights in MMA under Bellator.
He then worked his way to the UFC, where he lost to Usman in his fourth fight in the UFC and the second but last loss of his career in December 2015.
A close points decision over three rounds, where Usman’s wrestling was the deciding factor.
Since that time, Edwards went on an impressive nine-fight winning streak with one no contest, where he became not only one of the more avoided fighters but unlucky fighters.
Edwards had been overlooked for title shots on several occasions and then missing out due to injury or other circumstances beyond his control.
He was even involved in a very public brawl backstage after one of these fights when he got into it with Masvidal, who got off two quick punches which cut Edwards just under the left eye. These are all things Edwards had to deal with along this arduous journey.
It’s a Journey that saw him have impressive wins over some very capable fighters such as Vicente Luque, Bryan Barberena, Donald Cerrone, Rafael dos Anjos and of course Nate Diaz.
Leon Edwards would have made many happy, representing Jamaica and England. He made history as the first-born Jamaican fighter and the first UK black fighter to win a UFC title.
Edwards is also, only the second British fighter to hold UFC gold after Michael Bisping. After all his woes and unfortunate circumstances. During the fight, it felt he was again being hard done by for havinghis title shot finally come against the p4p no1 in the UFC.
But as people always say, “God always has a plan” and all that hard work, mishaps and misfortunes, all culminated in one of the sweetest title wins in UFC, sports combat and sports history in general.
So respect and congratulations Leon Rocky Edwards. You’ve made Jamaica and England proud. I guess the moral of the story is always trust the process.
