Leon Edwards Stuns Kamaru Usman To Win UFC World Title

'Rocky' surprised the world with a head-kick knockout in the subsiding minutes of the fight to earn the welterweight crown

After ending up being the first individual to score a takedown on the nearly perfect champ in Round 1, Edwards had a hard time in the following rounds to construct any sort of momentum.

Usman's pace slowed in Round 5, but it was most likely leading towards an unanimous choice win for the champ as Edwards seemed defeated in his corner as his team asked him to come to life in the last round.

Unexpectedly, Edwards flicked out a right jab and fired up a left head kick that knocked Usman out cold at 4:04 of Round 5.

It was the fourth newest finish in a champion fight-- just seconds short of Usman's own finish of Colby Covington in 2019.

Usman remained positive about his future. The former champ took to Twitter and assured to return with a revenge.

UFC 278 card and results

– Leon Edwards (c) def. Kamaru Usman via fifth-round knockout (head kick)

Paulo Costa def. Luke Rockhold via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

– Merab Dvalishvili def. Jose Aldo via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

– Lucie Pudilova def. Wu Yanan via second-round TKO (elbows)

– Tyson Pedro def. Harry Hunsucker via first-round TKO (punches)

– Marcin Tybura def. Alexander Romanov via majority decision (29-28, 28-29, 28-28)

– Jared Gordon def. Leonardo Santos via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

– Sean Woodson vs. Luis Saldana ruled a split draw (29-27, 27-29, 28-28)

– Ange Loosa def. A.J. Fletcher via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28)

– Amir Albazi def. Francisco Figueiredo via first-round submission (rear-naked choke)

– Aori Qileng def. Jay Perrin via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

– Victor Altamirano def. Daniel Da Silva via first-round TKO (punches)