Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards presser

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Listed below are just a few of the important thing moments from the press convention for UFC 278: Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards

Whereas many of the consideration this week is (appropriately) directed at this week’s occasions, specifically the UFC 276 card, a while at Worldwide Battle Week was devoted to an upcoming occasion the UFC will likely be holding subsequent month in Utah.

The principle occasion of UFC 278 will characteristic Kamaru Usman defending the UFC welterweight championship against Leon Edwards.

The 2 had been capable of share a stage collectively and tackle struggle followers and media at a press convention on July 1.

Here’s what we realized.

3 issues we realized from the UFC 278: Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards press convention

1. Kamaru Usman contemplating skipping middleweight, transferring as much as mild heavyweight

The struggle with Leon Edwards will likely be Kamaru Usman’s third opponent in his title run that he’s already fought towards (Usman defended the belt towards Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal twice). On the press convention, it was famous how Usman has fully taken over the division and there’s a necessity for somebody — specifically a Belal Muhammad or a Khamzat Chimaev — that should step up.

However Usman might have another plans. The present welterweight champ has beforehand admitted a want to leap as much as mild heavyweight, and he said on the press convention that such a want nonetheless lives with him.

“I used to be going to skip Israel [Adesanya] and go struggle Jan at 205,” Usman mentioned. “I’m pound-for-pound. I wish to show it. It doesn’t matter what weight it’s, I assumed he was a extremely good matchup for me. I believe I’d beat him.”

Usman is at present ranked No. 1 on the UFC’s males’s pound-for-pound rankings.

Usually a champ will solely transfer one division for champ-champ standing, however it must be famous that Usman and present Adesanya, the present UFC middleweight champion, are nice mates.

2. Kamaru Usman admits to falling in love with putting, each counsel a wrestling-based bout

It’s no secret that Usman’s background is in wrestling, being an NCAA Division-II champion. His wrestling additionally led him to success within the UFC, although it not often ever led to finishes and efficiency bonuses. However Usman has proven as of late that he’s able to nice energy as properly, with it serving to to dominate Tyron Woodley for the title and scoring finishes of Covington, Burns and Masvidal.

Edwards has remarked that Usman fell in love together with his putting, and Usman wouldn’t deny it on the press convention.

“I paid Trevor Wittman some huge cash, and he deserves each little bit of it. And so did Henry Hooft. So why wouldn’t I are available and train the putting? After all, I fell in love with my putting. That’s why I’ve extra knockouts in championship fights than he has within the UFC his whole profession.”

Edwards does have six KO/TKO victories in his MMA profession, however solely two of them have come within the Octagon. Since beginning his time within the UFC, Edwards has additionally advanced his wrestling and grappling work.

However is it any match for Usman’s? The champ appeared to trace we’ll discover out once they struggle.

“Sure, I fell in love with my putting,” Usman mentioned. “However guess what? You fell in love together with your grappling. So August twentieth, we’re going to wrestle.”

3. Leon Edwards says he’ll struggle Jorge Masvidal however needs him to win a few fights first

Usman just isn’t the one welterweight to have a historical past with Masvidal, as Edwards has had his personal run-in — one which didn’t happen contained in the Octagon.

Following a UFC London card that noticed each males rating victories, Edwards confronted Masvidal backstage in an incident caught on digital camera. That is when Masvidal battered Edwards, giving the notorious “three-piece with a soda” line.

Whereas Edwards now has a shot on the title, Masvidal has dropped three straight — he misplaced to Colby Covington at UFC 272 after dropping each bouts he had with Usman.

When requested about the potential of nonetheless going through Masvidal in some unspecified time in the future, Edwards signaled that he’d be open to it, however he would give Usman a title rematch first — and he needs Masvidal to get again on profitable methods.

“[Usman] is deserving; been a long-reigning champion for a very long time,” Edwards mentioned. “After which after that, let that boy go win just a few fights and I’d like to run that one again, in London, within the U.Ok. It’d be wonderful.”