MMA
UFC 286: Usman set to reclaim welterweight crown
March has already seen two epic events, but UFC 286 in London may just take the cake. The welterweight title is on the line with Kamaru Usman vying to reclaim the belt, while the co-main sees two warriors clash in the lightweight division.
We preview the best of the action below.
Leon Edwards v Kamaru Usman III
Prior to last August’s upset, Kamaru Usman had become an unstoppable force as the welterweight champion. Leon Edwards was the heavy underdog and rightfully so as he was dominated for the entirety of the fight, until the fifth round when he secured an unbelievable head-kick KO with perfect timing and accuracy. The stoppage shocked the combat sports world and led to Edwards being awarded both knockout and comeback of the year.
Edwards is now the welterweight champion, but despite his victory he will head out in London as the 19/10 underdog. The Englishman is currently on a 10-fight win streak having not been bettered in the octagon since his original bout with Usman in 2015.
Usman, also known as The Nigerian Nightmare, was on a 19-fight win streak prior to last August’s upset and truly dominated the best the division had to offer. He will head out as the strong 2/5 favourite despite being on hostile soil, although it’s no shock given how he controlled and battered Edwards for the majority of their last fight.
The former champion is 6/5 to win by decision which seems the most logical outcome given six of his last 10 victories have come by that method. Having said that, Usman may be vying for vengeance and looking to settle his claim as champion with a decisive knockout, which is priced at 11/4 to happen in any round.
This highly anticipated matchup will be a technical masterclass, with both athletes sure to put on an epic display of striking ability. Last time, the bout looked on track to go the distance, and this time the fight is 8/13 to go down to the judges scorecards.
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Justin Gaethje v Rafael Fiziev
If there’s one fighter that is always a pleasure to watch, it is Justin Gaethje. He often gets into wars and every bout of his has been incredibly entertaining, but he may well have met his match in Rafael Fiziev and this lightweight brawl is set for fireworks.
Last time out saw Gaethje lose to Charles Oliveira by rear naked choke, which was unsurprising given Oliveira’s unmatched submissions (until Islam Makhachev). Either way Oliveira was a high calibre opponent and Gaethje’s three other losses also come to the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov, so at 24-4 he can feel beyond proud of his record in a stacked division.
The 34-year-old heads out as the 19/10 underdog despite the superior calibre of opposition he has faced, but this may be influenced by Fiziev’s clean 12-1 record and the manner in which he stops opponents. With both men impressive strikers earning consistent knockouts, Gaethje by KO/TKO at 3/1 doesn’t seem a bad punt.
Fiziev has a habit of finding opponent’s chins, and his 12-1 record has seen him leave only three down to the judges scorecards. The 30-year-old’s explosive power may make all the difference, although if we have learnt anything about Gaethje it’s that his chin is solid.
For ‘Ataman’ this is undeniably a step up in competition, but he is the heavy 2/5 favourite in the betting and, despite only having three rounds, is favoured to get the knockout at 6/5, with a Fiziev win via points a relatively wide 5/2.
The pair of explosive fighters will be sure to give the crowd in London a perfect appetiser for the main event. If you fancy either fighter to get the job done quickly, the fight to last under 1.5 rounds is 6/4.
