Leon Edwards Vs. Kamaru Usman III Headlines UFC 286 In London

After their thrilling encounter inside the Octagon back in August 2022, Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman are set to run it back for the welterweight championship in the main event of UFC 286, which is set to take place at the O2 Arena in London, England on March 18th.

UFC president Dana White confirmed the news during the press conference of UFC Vegas last Saturday, January 14.

"I told you guys, or you heard, Leon Edwards vs. [Kamaru] Usman is finalized, and then [Justin] Gathje and [Rafael] Fiziev are the co-main event for that fight in London," White revealed.

This will be the third installment in the highly-entertaining rivalry between two of the best welterweight fighters in the world today.

The two 170-pound stars first crossed paths back in 2015, with Usman taking the unanimous decision win.

At the time, Usman was stepping into the Octagon for the first time since winning the 21st season of The Ultimate Fighter.

Edwards, meanwhile, was just four fights deep into his UFC career.

After their initial meeting, Edwards and Usman took widely different paths.

Usman went on to win his next seven outings and ultimately earned a shot at the UFC welterweight championship.

"The Nigerian Nightmare" would dominate then-champion Tyron Woodley to snatch the title and begin what many believe to be an all-time great reign as the promotion's 170-pound champion.

During his run at the top of the division, Usman defended the title five times against top contenders such as Jorge Masvidal, Colby Covington and Gilbert Burns.

Edwards, meanwhile, went on his own impressive winning streak, but largely went unnoticed.

After the loss to Usman in 2015, Edwards went undefeated in ten-straight bouts, with victories over the likes of Vicente Luque, Donald Cerrone, Gunnar Nelson, Rafael dos Anjos and Nate Diaz to earn a rematch with Usman.

Much like in their first meeting, Usman used his elite-level grappling to neutralize Edwards' striking and keep him grounded.

With what seemed to be a comfortable lead heading into the fifth and final frame, it looked like Usman was on his way to a sixth-straight title defense.

With less than a minute remaining in the fight, Edwards pulled off the unthinkable and knocked Usman out with a well-placed head kick to capture the title.

Edwards' last-minute knockout garnered multiple year-end awards such as Knockout of the Year and Comeback of the Year from multiple websites and publications, and even the UFC itself.

With Edwards and Usman currently tied at one win apiece, part three is sure to be a must-see affair.