Each fight in the series between Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman has continued to get better, with the UFC 286 main event standing as the best of the bunch.
For all five rounds, the welterweight rivals ran close to level, with each man having moments where they landed good shots: Edwards chopping with loads of kicks, Usman pressuring constantly, working behind his hands, and neither really grabbing a clear advantage. They battled each other every step of the way, right to the final horn, leaving the outcome in the hands of the judges.
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A third-round point deduction against Edwards for grabbing the fence to deny a takedown attempt loomed large, hovering as a pivotal moment in an ultra-competitive, freakishly close fight between two fighters with a ton of history between them.
When the scores were added up, Edwards emerged with a majority decision victory, retaining his title in an absolute classic against an all-time great that brought greatness out of him in the biggest moment of his career.
