Leon Edwards pulls up a real-life ‘Rocky Balboa’ moment in his historic title fight against Kamaru Usman at UFC 278
UFC 278
Dominance in the sport of mixed martial arts is a criterion often used to judge the greatness of a fighter. At times, some mixed martial artists seem so invincible that fans feel they might never lose. However, that is not the case. In the sport of mixed martial arts, on any given night, an underdog can pull off a victory against a favorite. Such was the case when fans saw Kamaru Usman take on Leon Edwards at UFC 278.
Going into the bout, Kamaru Usman was one of the most dominant champions in the UFC. Already in the conversations of being a GOAT, Usman had a 15-fight win streak to his name. The Nigerian Nightmare was just one fight away from equalling Anderson Silva’s record of winning 16 consecutive fights.
However, that record was not meant to be broken. British title challenger Leon Edwards had different plans as he created a history of his own. ‘Rocky’ beat Kamaru Usman dramatically to win the 170-pound title. This victory made Edwards the second British fighter behind Michael Bisping to win a UFC title.
Leon Edwards lands the Greatest Headkick in the History of Sports Entertainment to KO Kamaru Usman
Many people believe that what happens in the movies can’t happen in real life. However, the performance of Leon Edwards at UFC 278 differed from that narrative. The British fighter managed to do the impossible against Kamaru Usman, who seemed unbeatable to many.
The fight started in Edwards’ favor as he had a great round one. But, after round 1, ‘Rocky’ faced a lot of adversity. Kamaru Usman showed the world his dominance in the following rounds. The Nigerian Nightmare controlled the center of the octagon landed takedowns and got the better of Edwards. While the title challenger had moments in the fight, Usman seemed to have won rounds 2, 3, and 4.
When the fifth round began, every fan watching felt that Usman was on his path towards further solidifying his dominance. While it felt Usman would be the winner at the end of the bell, Leon Edwards managed to pull a page from the famous boxing movie ‘Rocky.’ With one minute remaining for the fight to end, Leon Edwards set up a brilliant head kick to knock Kamaru Usman out. His finish and performance were similar to that of the movie character Rocky Balboa who absorbs punishment early on but manages to knock his opponent out.
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However, it was not just Edwards’ performance that was similar to Balboa’s. In the movie, Rocky Balboa is a constant underdog who comes from nothing and finally wins everything. Leon Edwards shared a similar path as many people doubted him before the fight. Ignoring the same, Edwards faced adversity head-on and caused a major upset that will be spoken about for the years to come. Who do you think Leon Edwards should fight next? Should he face Kamaru Usman in a trilogy, or should the British fighter face Jorge Masvidal in a grudge match? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Also Read: Leon Edwards’ walkout songs – List of songs the “Rocky” has walked out to in his UFC Career
Varun Anand Bhat
(106 Articles Published)