UFC 286 Results – Edwards Defends the Belt

The UFC 286 results are in and Edwards defends the belt. The event went down live at the O2 Arena in London, UK. UFC 286 aired on pay-per-view Saturday March 18, 2023 through ESPN+ at 4:00pm CDT.

On the card featured the highly anticipated rematch of 2022’s biggest upset. That would the kick heard round the world when Kamaru Usman met a Leon Edwards head kick in the final round of the welterweight title fight.

UFC 286 Main Event – Edwards vs Usman 3

This fight was so much different than their last meeting. Leon Edwards seemed more confident and accordingly he was edging out the striking in most rounds. The fight was so close that a 3rd round point deduction (Edwards fence grab) was called that might have shifted the win.

Finally, the judges scorecards were announced. 48-46, 48-46, 47-47 and still the reigning, middleweight champion, Leon ‘Rocky’ Edwards.

UFC 286 co-main event – Gaethje vs Fiziev

Justin Gaethje vs Rafael Fiziev pulled off a $50,000.00 fight of night bonus when this striking fest concluded with a bloodied Fiziev and a majority decision win for Justin Gaethje.

The lightweight two-time title challenger weathered some early and quick striking from Rafael Fiziev. He later stated that he believed Fiziev was the second faster striker that he has fought, second to Michael Johnson.

In the later rounds, Gaethje really began to open up on Fiziev with jabs and uppercuts that found their mark. He continued to find success with his boxing and consequently the scorecards were announced 29-28, 29-28, and 28-28 for Justin Gaethje by majority decision win.

Gaethje went on to state that he would prefer to fight Oliveira or Poirier for his next fight and possibly his last title run he has in his career. Undoubtedly he won some fight fans for this performance.

UFC 286 Results, Edwards vs Usman 3

Main Card (On pay-per-view order through ESPN+ at 9:00 PM CST)

Leon Edwards #c (21-3-0), (+195) vs Kamaru Usman #1 (20-3-0), (-230) – welterweight title bout – Edwards by split decision

Justin Gaethje #3 (25-4-0), (+195) vs Rafael Fiziev #6 (12-2-0), (-230) – lightweight bout – Gaethje by split decision – fight of the night

Gunnar Nelson (19-5-1), (-380) vs Bryan Barberena (18-10-0), (+310) – welterweight bout – Nelson by 1st round submission – performance of the night

Jennifer Maia #8 (21-9-1), (+150) vs Casey O’Neill #12 (9-1-0), (-175) – women’s flyweight bout – Maia by unanimous decision

Marvin Vettori #4 (19-6-1), (-265) vs Roman Dolidze #9 (12-2-0), (+225) – middleweight bout – Vettori by unanimous decision

Prelims (Airing on ESPN+ at 7:00PM CST)

Jack Shore #15 (16-1-0), (-490) vs Makwan Amirkhani (17-8-0), (+390) – featherweight bout

Chris Duncan (10-1-0) vs Omar Morales (11-4-0) – lightweight bout – Duncan by split decision

Sam Patterson (1-1-0), () vs Yanal Ashmoz (1-0-0), () – lightweight bout – Ashmouz by 1st round KO/TKO

Muhammad Mokaev #12 (10-0-0), () vs Jafel Filho (14-3-0), () – flyweight bout – Mokaev by 3rd round submission

Early Prelims (Airing on UFC Fight Pass at 5:15PM CST

Lerone Murphy (12-0-1), () vs Gabriel Santos (0-1-0), () – featherweight bout – Santos by split decision

Christian Leroy Duncan (8-0-0), () vs Dusko Todorovic (12-4-0), () – middleweight bout – Duncan by way of 1st round KO/TKO

Jake Hadley (10-1-0), (-380) vs Malcolm Gordon (14-7-0), (+310) – flyweight bout – Hadley by 1st round KO/TKO – performance of the night

Joanne Wood (16-8-0), () vs Luana Carolina (8-4-0), () – women’s flyweight bout – Wood by split decision

Jai Herbert (12-4-0), (+135) vs Ludovit Klein (19-4-0), (-155) – lightweight bout – majority draw

Juliana Miller (4-2-0), (-425) vs Veronica Hardy (7-4-1), (+340) – women’s flyweight bout – Hardy by unanimous decision

That wraps it up for the UFC 286 results, Edwards vs Usman 3. If you enjoyed this article and want to see more of our UFC mma action (and we certainly hope you do), follow the link.

Check back with us for the upcoming UFC Fight Night Vera vs Sandhagen. Undoubtedly, this will be a great night as these two top 5 bantamweights go at it. The ‘Preachers’ Daughter’, Holy Holm #3 will meet Yana Santos #6 in a women’s bantamweight match, what will certainly be an interesting bout.

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