Salt Lake City, Utah – Salt Lake’s Vivint Arena hosted the upset heard around the world as Leon Edwards landed a championship-winning head kick to dethrone pound-for-pound leader Kamaru Usman. Middleweights Paulo Costa and Luke Rockhold had a brawl for the ages as UFC 278 came to a close.
Welterweight Championship Bout: Leon Edwards Knocked out Kamaru Usman In The Final Round of Their Title Fight
The first round began as both took to center cage, and Leon got to work early with some lead leg kicks. Kamaru shot and clinched Leon against the cage, Leon freed himself, but Usman worked a trip into a takedown momentarily before he used the cage to get back on his feet. Leon reversed the clinch into a takedown and gained top control. Leon worked the position into a body triangle and looked for the rear naked choke, Usman fought the hands and stalled until the bell sounded.
The second opened as Kamaru pressed early on, when he backed Leon up against the cage. Usman fired a flurry to the body, but Edwards circled out and landed leg kicks; the fight paused because of an eye poke from Leon. The fight resumed, and Kamaru fired a hard calf kick as he pressed forward. Kamaru launched his jab, and Leon returned with a flurry as Kamaru pushed forwards and clinched against the cage. Leon shot for a takedown that Usman stuffed and worked into a guillotine attempt. Leon broke free and pushed Kamaru away before he succumbed to a double leg.
The third round started, and Kamaru continued to apply pressure as he landed a double leg against the cage. Leon arose quickly, but Kamaru pinned him against the cage; Leon broke free and separated before Kamaru landed another takedown. Usman moved to the back as he looked to flatten Leon out, but Edwards got a knee down. Kamaru looked for the neck as he landed rights and wore Leon down with pressure until the round ended.
The fourth opened as both men threw combinations early. Leon moved to a clinch position and worked for Usman’s hands after he pinned him against the cage. Leon let go and is reversed into a takedown by Usman, who fired shots from the mount. Leon worked his way back up but was still pushed against the cage. Leon grabbed the fence to get up and Herb Dean sat them back down and Usman continued his pressure. Kamaru let his hands go and fired heavy shots until the round closed out.
The final round began as Usman worked his body shots early and pressed Leon backward. Kamaru moved Edwards back against the cage and stomped on Edwards’s lead leg – referee Herb Dean separated both men because of an unintentional groin strike. Leon took to center cage and landed a huge head kick that knocked Usman out.
Middleweight Bout: No. 6 Paulo Costa Wins UD Over Returning Luke Rockhold
The first kicked off, Rockhold landed early and looked for a takedown. Costa threw shots from the clinch, and Rockhold arose dazed. Costa lands a big left and takes Luke down. Paulo moved into top position and reigned body shots down, and Costa moved to mount and landed short right hooks. Luke exploded out, and both men returned to the center of the octagon. Rockhold slammed four big body kicks that Costa shrugged off. Luke landed a haymaker that wobbled Paulo, and the bell sounded before anything came of it.
The second began, and Rockhold wobbled Paulo with a big jab that dropped him. He arose quickly and clinched against Rockhold as they returned to the center of the cage. Both men traded blows in the center as Rockhold threw vicious body kicks. Costa threw a flurry of blows against the cage as one clipped the cup of Rockhold, which caused the flight to pause. The fight continued, Luke threw hard kicks to the body, and Paulo returned fire with hard jabs up high. The round closed out as Paulo pressed forward.
The third opened and Rockhold stunned Costa early, Rockhold pressed too fast, and Costa slipped out of his attacks. Luke threw a huge jab that backed up Paulo, who retorted with strikes of his own. Rockhold teed off and shot for a takedown, but Costa evaded it and took top position. Costa moved to Luke’s back and looked for the choke, Luke pinned Costa’s hands and turned into top position and the bell sounded, ending the war. Paulo secured a unanimous decision victory in a fight for the ages.
Bantamweight Bout: No. 6 Merab Dvalishvili Grinds Out a UD Victory over No. 3 Jose Aldo
The fight kicked off, and Merab opened with a spinning back kick attempt that missed. Jose circled the cage, and Merab shot for a single leg against the cage. Jose gained separation as both fighters met in the center of the cage, and Aldo threw leg kicks down low. Merab shot against the cage again, but Aldo separated and pushed Merab down. Merab arose, and Aldo worked his jab, he blitzed late in the round, but the bell sounded before anything occurred.
The second opened, and Merab threw a flurry of legs kicks and a spinning back kick. He shot for a takedown that Aldo clinched against the cage. Merab unleashed a bunch of knees into Jose’s thigh as he pinned Jose against the cage. Aldo broke free, but Merab shot again; Aldo once again braced and was forced back against the cage. Aldo broke free but was pushed back against the cage again before he separated again. Both men traded blows before Merab pressured Aldo back against the cage and clinched as the horn sounded
The final round began, Merab shot immediately, but Aldo broke free. Merab pressed forward again and clinched against the cage;Jose reversed and broke free. Aldo backed up constantly as Merab applied more and more pressure as he moved forward. Merab pushed Aldo against the cage and looked for another takedown. Merab finally landed a takedown, but Aldo got up quickly. Merab threw a flurry of knees to Jose’s legs, but the final bell sounded before any damage was inflicted. Merab secures
Women’s Bantamweight: Lucie Pudilova TKO’d Wu Yanan With Brutal Ground and Pound
The bout began, and Pudilova shot for a takedown against the cage immediately. Wu broke free and landed a sequence of leg kicks; Pudilova shot for a level change and took down Wu. Pudilove advanced to side control as she applied pressure from above, and she moved to an arm-triangle attempt that failed. Wu got up but gave up her back when she fought the hands and separated from Pudilova as they returned to the center cage, but the horn sounded soon after.
The second round opened, and Pudilova worked her jab early as she also fired low kicks. Wu responded with calf kicks of her own as both women traded kicks promptly. Pudilove pressured forwards as she pushed Wu back into the cage; Wu separated and took to center cage. Wu clinched, but Pudilova reversed and took Wu down, she moved to Wu’s back and looked to lock in a rear-naked choke. Wu fought the hands and moved to her back as she ate Pudilova’s elbow from the mount. Pudilova reigned ground and pound down until referee Herb Dean was forced to step in. Lucie Pudilova got the TKO victory via ground and pound.
Heavyweight: Tyson Pedro Blitzes Henry Hunsucker Early for TKO Victory
The first round kicked off, Hunsucker blitzed forward and got caught by Tyson’s left jab that stunned him. Pedro landed a hard kick to the body that caused Hunsucker to fall down, Tyson unloaded ground and pound, and the referee stepped in. Tyson Pedro got the TKO 1:05 into the first round.
