Leon Edwards makes first defense of his title, defeats Kamaru Usman in front of home crowd at UFC 286

Kamaru Usman releases first comments after losing trilogy fight to Leon Edwards at UFC 286

Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman released his first comments after losing the trilogy fight against Leon Edwards at UFC 286.

Usman lost a majority decision to Edwards in the main event of UFC 286 this past Saturday at The O2 Arena in London, England. It was a close, competitive fight that went the full five-round distance, but ultimately the judges sided with Edwards for the win. For Usman, it’s his second straight loss to Edwards, and it puts him in a tough position in the UFC welterweight division when there are other fresh contenders. At this point, it’s unknown what is next for Usman at 170lbs.

In the meantime, Usman has released his first comments following the loss on his social media. Check them out below.

A special thank you to my management, family, friends, and fans. I appreciate each and everyone of you. Wasn’t my night but as always we go back to work. Congratulations @Leon_edwardsmma great work

It’s a classy statement from Usman, but you wouldn’t expect anything less from the former champion, who is one of the greatest welterweights in UFC history. Although he lost the trilogy to Edwards, it was still a close fight that went the distance. While he might no longer be the best welterweight in the sport anymore, he is still one of the best that there is.

It will be interesting to see what is next for Usman in the UFC. If he wants to make another climb back toward the title, then he’ll likely need Edwards to lose at some point. There is also the possibility that Usman could move up to 185lbs, or even potentially make a move to the boxing ring. We’ll likely find out soon what is next.

What do you think is next for Kamaru Usman after beating Leon Edwards at UFC 286?

author avatar
Adam Martin
MMA journalist, podcast host, and handicapper for MyMMANews.com, MMAoddsbreaker.com, and Bookies.com. MMAOB Daily Podcast host. Join me LIVE @ 5 pm EST every Monday for my live free podcast. Over 10 years of experience writing about MMA. I love this sport.