Leon Edwards Not Satisfied With UFC Title Win Performance

Leon Edwards has competed in the UFC for quite some time. His record may be mixed, but he puts 100% into his performances. Last night, he did the unthinkable.

Edwards managed to unseat Kamaru Usman on Saturday with a shocking, come-from-behind head kick knockout in the fifth round of their headlining bout at Vivint Arena to win the welterweight championship at UFC 278.

Leon felt like he was having an off night. According to him, he thought that the fight was one of his worst performances.

“Going into it, I knew it was going to be a tough fight,” Edwards told MMA Junkie and other reporters at the UFC 278 post-fight news conference. “I said it all week. But I believe I was the better man – but even though it was one my worst performances, it is what it is, I got a clean finish. … My body just wasn’t reacting the way it was meant to react. I don’t know if it was the altitude or not, but when I was backstage watching the other guys fight on TV, everyone was getting tired and gassing out. I was like, ‘Why is everyone getting tired?’ When I went out there after the first round I felt it. My body just wasn’t reacting.

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“It wasn’t a cardio issue, it was just like my body wasn’t reacting. But I stayed focused, my coaches spurred me on and kept reminding me, ‘You’re still in the fight, you are the best, and fight until the end.’ That combination I was drilling with my coaches, that left-cross head kick, and it landed perfectly.”

Edwards wants a trilogy of matches against Usman down the road. Hopefully, he’ll feel more confident in his performance next time in a title defense. That way he’ll be happier about the next win.

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