Leon Edwards defeated Kamaru Usman by majority decision, defending his welterweight title in the main event of UFC 286.
Usman (20-3) is one of the greatest welterweight of all-time, but his kryptonite has come in the form of Edwards. This was an especially close bout, but Edwards (21-3-1) landed the cleaner shots throughout a competitive five rounds.
Edwards could not mirror the quick start he jumped out to in their fight last August, though he did land the first heavy strike to the body. It was a closely contested round, with a slight edge to Edwards, especially considering he prevented Usman from taking him down.
The right hand from Usman was a factor in the second round, and he was able to dictate the pace on the ground. Edwards was active, too, landing a knee, a body kick, a right hand, and a handful of leg kicks (connecting on his first 17). A key as the round ended was that Usman was able to back up Edwards, and it appeared this fight was even after two rounds.
Usman backed Edwards down to open the third, then brought him to the mat. An intentional fence grab caused referee Herb Dean to be deducted a point, but it was a clear foul. Despite Edwards’ offense, high-level wrestling from Usman was the difference in the third round.
Edwards’ leg kicks have clearly bothered Usman. But Usman had Edwards on his heels for the majority of the round. Edwards’ takedown defense was strong, avoiding a takedown on consecutive attempts. Through four rounds, this remained an extremely competitive bout.
The opening minute of the fifth round saw Edwards attempt a leg kick to the head, but Usman partially blocked it. Edwards then found success with shots to Usman, though the round contained nonstop pressure from Usman. With 80 seconds remaining, Usman landed his fourth takedown of the fight, but Edwards quickly worked his way back to his feet. The cleaner shots in the fifth belonged to Edwards, but this was extraordinarily close–and it will be fascinating to see how it is judged.
The judges were clearly impressed by Edwards’ leg kicks, takedown defense and an overall efficient, accurate execution. He was awarded the bout by majority decision (48-46, 48-46, 47-47). None of the judges scored the fight for Usman. For all of Usman’s pressure, he was unable to capitalize, leaning a lot of credibility to the judges’ scorecards.
Edwards and Usman will be forever linked, but it is Edwards who holds the advantage.
Justin Gaethje reinserts himself into lightweight title picture
Justin Gaethje pieced apart Rafael Fiziev in the co-main of UFC 286, systematically putting a hurt on Fiziev en route to re-entering the win column. The bout was scored oddly, but Gaethje was the winner by majority decision, and this was a fight he needed to win.
Gaethje (24-4) struggled early with Fiziev’s speed. Fiziev (12-2) controlled the opening round, making it impossible for Gaethje to close the distance. Overall, Fiziev landed the more consistent, violent body shots. Gaethje could not land his leg kick, but that changed in the later rounds.
An inadvertent eye poke from Gaethje in the second round didn’t help Fiziev, but Gaethje showed a measured approach. He landed his hook consistently, badly injuring Fiziev’s eye, and did a number of his lead leg.
The third and final round opened with a quick flurry of strikes from Fiziev. With three minutes remaining, it appeared that Fiziev held the advantage. Gaethje then started landing his jab, finally slowly down Fiziev, as well as opening up a cut above his right eye. Considering damage looms large, that could be a critical factor benefiting Gaethje, who was able to land his uppercuts throughout the third. Gaethje ended the fight with a takedown, and he did enough to produce a unanimous decision victory–although the judges did not agree.
Gaethje’s victory puts him on a short list of opponents for reigning lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. That also includes Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira, and Beneil Dariush, but Gaethje secures a spot with this emphatic victory against Fiziev.
Nelson forces Barberena to tap in record-breaking victory
Gunnar Nelson forced Bryan Barberena to submit to a vicious armbar in the opening round.
Nelson (19-5-1) landed a takedown, drilled Barberena with elbows, then found an opening for the armbar. It is a devastating loss for Barberena (18-10), who has now dropped two in a row.
The submission victory is Nelson’s seventh, making him the most decorated submission artist in UFC welterweight history. While he is a step beneath Leon Edwards and Gilbert Burns, both of whom defeated him in 2019, Nelson’s submission prowess makes him a threat every time he steps in the cage.
This win puts Nelson back in the mix for the top 15, and he is a fighter to watch in the welterweight division.
Maia shatters O’Neill’s perfect record
Jennifer Maia defeated Casey O’Neill by unanimous decision, ending O’Neill’s undefeated streak and starting a new winning streak for herself.
O’Neill (9-1) proved that she could hang with Maia (21-9-1), but despite a very close third round, Maia was better in the first two rounds. A huge divide still remains between either of these fighters and the top of the division, particularly new champ Alexa Grasso and the great Valentina Shevchenko, though Maia was able to go the full distance against Shevchenko in 2020. This was a necessary win for Maia in order to hold her spot in the top 10 at No. 8.
The next test for Maia will be testing herself against higher ranked flyweights. Erin Blanchfield and Taila Santos would both be tough challenges for her.
Anderson Silva headed to UFC Hall of Fame
The spotlight shined on Anderson Silva at UFC 286.
Silva was announced as the newest member of the UFC Hall of Fame, which was a no-brainer. His 16-fight win streak still stands, and he made 10 defenses of the middleweight title. Silva’s impact extends well beyond the cage, inspiring a generation of fighters, and he remains one of the greatest ever to compete in the Octagon.
Silva elevated the entire sport. If there were levels to the Hall of Fame, Silva would be at the very top. He will be right at home in the UFC Hall of Fame.
Vettori wins by unanimous decision
Marvin Vettori defeated Roman Dolidze by unanimous decision, but it wasn’t easy.
The former training partners went the distance, and Vettori (19-6-1) did just enough to get back into the win column. He did outstanding work with his kicking game, landing kick after kick, which caused a problem for Dolidze (12-2).
Vettori reinserts himself in the middleweight title picture, especially if Israel Adesanya is unable to dethrone Alex Pereira next month.
Justin Gaethje believes ‘the pressure is on me’
UFC 286 is built around its main event, but the co-main also holds significance.
Justin Gaethje returns to the cage for the first time since losing a lightweight title bout last May, and his first obstacle in an ongoing pursuit of the belt is Rafael Fiziev.
Fiziev (12-1) has been bulldozing opponents amid a six-fight win streak, winning by knockout in three of his last four bouts. Yet he has never faced anyone in the upper echelon of the division, particularly with the skill set—or blazing power—of Gaethje.
“It’s only a three-round fight, so I can go a little harder,” says Gaethje (23-4). “This is his biggest stage to date. The pressure is on me, but I think it will be more of a factor for him.”
Gaethje last fought a three-round bout in November of 2021, when he obliterated Michael Chandler at Madison Square Garden. If he can hit Fiziev with a similar barrage of shots, then it will be hard to imagine Gaethje not returning to the victory column.
“I fought almost as perfect a fight as I could fight at Madison Square Garden against Chandler,” says Gaethje. “I was so internally focused. That’s the plan to repeat this Saturday.”
Gaethje remains extremely critical of his performance in the title bout against then-champ Charles Oliveira from last May. Less than four minutes into the first round, Gaethje tapped to a rear-naked choke.
“You should never let anything out of the cage affect you, but I did,” says Gaethje. “I was back home in Phoenix, singing a song in the cage I didn’t even know the words to, pounding my chest. Looking back, I wasn’t recognizable to myself that night. Being so emotional that night, that was detrimental to my performance.”
A win tonight is a necessity if Gaethje wants to reinsert himself in the title picture. Reigning champ Islam Makhachev does not have a clear-cut next opponent, but Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira, and Beneil Dariush are all leading the charge for that spot. Alexander Volkanovski, who lost to Makhachev last month, also wants a rematch.
“Volkanovski was extremely impressive,” says Gaethje. “I need to do what I’ve got to do to get in a position to get back to their spot.
“At this level, any win is a big win. There’s Dustin, there’s Beneil and there’s Charles, and I have to go through one of those guys, I will. I’m right there. There’s nowhere to go but forward from this fight.”
When asked if there could be an upcoming bout against Conor McGregor, Gaethje quickly dismissed the idea.
“He’s choosing to fight Chandler,” says Gaethje. “That is what it is. He’s earned his spot, he gets to pick who he fights. He’s made the most money of any fighter that’s ever stepped in there. But Chandler is a pretty dangerous guy. We’ll see how that works out.”
In addition to the Kamaru Usman-Leon Edwards main event, the 286 card also features Gunnar Nelson against Bryan Barberena, Jennifer Maia against Casey O’Neill, and a very interesting test for Marvin Vettori against Roman Dolidze.
And Gaethje-Fiziev stands as a must-see fight on the card, with real stakes in the lightweight division on the line.
“No injuries, and I’ve had time to recover,” says Gaethje. “I’m ready.”
Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
