UFC Welterweight Champion Leon Edwards‘ iconic “pound-for-pound, head shot, dead” kick at UFC 278 was pre-meditated.
Edwards pulled off one of the most incredible come-from-behind knockouts wins in UFC history by knocking off Kamaru Usman at UFC 278. He rallied from a few rounds down to knock out Usman with a brutal head kick with just under a minute left in the fight.
A portion of UFC fans has tabbed Edwards’ head kick as having more to do with luck than actual skill. Despite this take from some, it turns out that the knockout kick was mapped out before the fight.
Watch As Leon Edwards’ Inner Circle Maps Out Knockout Kick
Check out Team Renegade MMA discussing and adding what would end up being the fight-winning technique into the game plan for Edwards.
Edwards’ kick isn’t the first time that a knockout move has been a part of a fighter’s game plan. In 2019, UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal knocked out Ben Askren with a flying knee that he prepared during his fight week training.
Edwards will likely face Usman for a third time for his first title defense, despite a matchup with Masvidal also appearing to be on the table as well. The UFC is already looking at potentially putting Edwards/Usman 3 in the UK, with Wembley Stadium being tabbed as a possible host venue.
UFC fans who downplay Edwards’ finish just took a big hit following this latest evidence which shows that Edwards had some tricks up his sleeve when he was preparing for the biggest fight of his life.
What was your immediate reaction watching Leon Edwards’ knockout of Kamaru Usman?