Leon Edwards Becomes the New Welterweight Champion

By: Gyang Dakwo

Leon Edwards is the new welterweight champion after beating Kamaru Usman via fifth-round knockout.

Edwards stunned the crowd in the first round when he became the first person to take Usman down.

He utilized a trip from the clinch to put the champion on the mat and actually worked towards getting a rear-naked choke before the first bell rang.

The Nigerian Nightmare wasted no time in bouncing back in the second round. He scored early in the period with boxing combinations that put the challenger against the fence.

Edwards fired back some strikes of his own, but Usman started mixing in the wrestling and started looking like the usual juggernaut fans are used to seeing.

It appeared as if Usman was going to cruise to another title defense when Edwards knocked out the champion with a stunning left high kick that immediately ended Usman’s night and title reign.

Edwards not only gets the joy of holding the belt, but he also earns a bit of revenge. These two met back in 2015 in a fight that Usman won via unanimous decision on his way to becoming a champion.