UFC 278: 'I've been doubted my whole life, but look at me now' - Edwards after winning welterweight title
Leon Edwards stunned Kamaru Usman in UFC 278 PPV to win the Welterweight Championship. It happens to be his maiden title in the promotion, besides being his second welterweight belt in his MMA career.
FollowThe UFC 278 pay-per-view (PPV) was headlined by the main event between Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman for the Welterweight Championship. The former defeated the latter by knocking him out with a head kick. As a result, he won his maiden belt in the promotion. Overall, it was just his second championship in his mixed martial art (MMA) career, having won the BAMMA RDX Welterweight Championship. Also, Edwards became the first Brit to win a UFC title since 2016 when he won the Middleweight Championship. It happened to be their second meeting in the octagon, as Edwards avenged the previous meeting defeat in 2015, ending Usman's 35-match unbeaten streak.
Following his victory, Edwards said, "You all doubted me, saying I couldn't do it - look at me now. I'm from the trenches. I'm built like this. I've been doubted my whole life but look at me now. I was born in Jamaica with nothing. I lived in a wooden shed with a zinc roof. Look at me now."
"Pound for pound, headshot, dead. That's it. I said it's possible. We can win a belt from the UK, I told you. I want, first of all, to thank god. Mum, I love you. I told you I'd do it for you. I told you I'd change your life," added Edwards.
"All week, I felt like this is my moment, everything in the past, the two years, the pandemic, look at me now, I'm champion of the world. Thank you, Dana [White - UFC President], and to the UFC for allowing a kid born with nothing," Edwards concluded. Later, live footage displayed the Brit in tears as he murmured, "I told you, mum, I would do it."
