Leon Edwards will send Kamaru Usman into retirement at UFC 286 — ‘He’s on his way out’

Kamaru Usman is getting old and coming off a knockout loss to Leon Edwards.

Perhaps a second straight defeat to “Rocky” when they collide in the UFC 286 pay-per-view (PPV) main event this Sat. night (March 18, 2023) at The O2 in London, England, will help send “The Nigerian Nightmare” into retirement where he can pursue his fashion career.

After all, styles make outfits! Or was that fights?

“I heard he flew like a stylist over and stuff,” Edwards said during the UFC 286 media day. “Our mentalities are in two different places. I feel like he’s on his way out and I was going to open the door for him and give him another path to follow his fashion dreams and follow wherever he wants to go. From his mentality and they way he’s moving, I think he’s already got one … something’s out the door and I was going to add to that. Whether he retires after or not, it’s up to him.”

Edwards uncorked a late head kick to smash Usman in the UFC 278 main event last August in Salt Lake City, capturing the 170-pound title while avenging a loss to “The Nigerian Nightmare” from their first meeting at UFC on FOX 17 back in late 2015.

“I feel I wanna go down as one of the best welterweights to ever do it and I believe I can,” Edwards continued. “I’ve switched my goal to go down as the best of all time. Why not? I haven’t lost in so long, I’ve won so many fights, I’ll keep plowing on and get that money up as well. I want to be able to change my family’s life. That’s my goal right now, to leave my family safer with more financial freedom than when I came into it.”

Becoming the best to ever do it means topping this welterweight legend.

Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 286 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard on ESPN2/ESPN+ at 3 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 286: “Edwards vs. Usman 3” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here. For the updated and finalized UFC 286 fight card and PPV lineup click here.