Mark Jacobs 
Leon Edwards started strong, slowed to a crawl, then, when it counted most, finished strong unleashing a thunderous roundhouse kick in the final round to dethrone UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman Saturday at UFC 278.
Edwards managed to surprise Usman in the first round getting back up from a takedown to achieve double underhooks in the clinch and take the wrestler, Usman, down with a trip right into full mount. He quickly got Usman’s back and locked in a body triangle to win the round. But Usman began to assert himself in the second taking Edwards down and looking firmly in control by the end of the stanza. The champion used his boxing to continually pressure Edwards back against the cage and repeatedly take him down through the third and fourth rounds building up a clear lead.
By the fifth round it seemed Edwards, fighting at altitude in the thin air of Salt Lake City, was wearing down and Usman would coast to a sixth straight title defense. But with less than a minute remaining in the bout, Edwards fired off a left leg roundhouse kick, his shin cracking across the side of Usman’s jaw and laying the champion out cold to pull off a tremendous comeback upset win and claim the championship.
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