Islam Makhachev believes Leon Edwards got lucky with his KO win over Kamaru Usman at UFC 278.
Heading into the fifth round, it was clear Edwards was going to need a finish if he was going to get his hand raised. He ultimately did just that as he knocked out Usman with less than a minute to go which Makhachev says was lucky.
Is Islam Makhachev Wrong that Leon Edwards Merely Caught a Break?
Not only does Makhachev think Edwards gets lucky, but he believes Usman wins the trilogy with ease.
“Edwards [got] lucky because he (Usman) beat him all five rounds, almost,” Makhachev told ESPN.
“First round, he (Edwards) take him down, take his back, but other rounds he (Usman) beat him very easy, take him down many times and smashed him there. When they’re going to fight again in rematch, 100 percent I think Kamaru is going to beat him … Edwards have same problem, always with wrestling guys.”
Although Makhachev thinks Edwards got lucky, Usman disagrees. Instead, the former welterweight champ said it was a great technique that Edwards did multiple times throughout the fight and he’s in awe of how good the kick was.
“He threw head kicks throughout the fight. I blocked them all,” Usman said to TMZ. “That one was just money. I’m almost in awe of how good it was. But it happens. Champions fall, then they get back and show you why they’re champions.”
Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman Rematch?
Usman and Edwards are expected to have their trilogy sometime next year in the UK. It would be a massive fight as any UK card is big but having a title on the line would only add to it.
Prior to beating Usman, Edwards was on a 10-fight unbeaten streak with wins over Nate Diaz, Rafael dos Anjos, Donald Cerrone, and Vicente Luque. Usman, meanwhile, suffered his first UFC loss as he looked to tie Anderson Silva’s 16-0 record to begin a UFC career.
