Kamaru Usman vs Leon Edwards is set to be one of the biggest fights in the UFC Welterweight division when they clash with the 170-pound title on the line at UFC 278, but what are our predictions for his huge MMA contest?

This is the second fight between two of the best 170-pound competitors on the planet, and Edwards will be looking to avenge his prior loss and join a very exclusive club of British UFC Champions, which as of right now only includes ‘The Count’ Michael Bisping.

There are a lot of factors that play into Edwards’ strengths, such as his impressive striking ability, but is that enough to get past the pound-for-pound best Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor on the planet right now?

Here are our predictions for the epic main event bout at UFC 278 between ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ Kamaru Usman and British fighter Leon Edwards.

Read More: UFC 278: Date, Announced Fight Card, Location, Kamaru Usman and more

Usman vs Edwards 2 Predictions

UFC 278 Poster Usman vs Edwards 2

Image Credit: UFC

Usman enters the contest as the favourite, with the pound-for-pound greatest UFC fighter on the planet coming in at -345 compared to Edwards’ +285, according to the official odds on the UFC website.

Despite Edwards being the underdog, he does not enter the octagon on Saturday, August 20th with absolutely no chance of winning.

Edwards has already lost to Usman in the past, so he knows what he getting himself into this weekend.

The biggest factor for us in this bout is the takedown defence of Edwards, as that would usually be the modus operandi of Usman. Edwards has improved in this aspect of the MMA game a massive amount, and he’ll be wanting to stand and trade with the 170-pound Champion throughout the contest.

So, the game plan for Edwards should be to control the range and impose his proficiency in striking to be successful. 

Still, this is Usman we’re talking about, and he’s proven on multiple occasions that he is far more than just a ‘lay and pray’ wrestler, having knockout ability and being able to dominate in the clinch.

As much as we would love to see Edwards become only the second ever British Champion in UFC history, Usman has too much ability in all aspects of the fight game and we see this being a fight with a heavy focus on clinch work.

Prediction: Usman wins via Decision

Read More: UFC 278 UK Start Time: Early Prelims, Prelims and Main Card

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