New footage has been released that shows Leon Edwards’ team drilling his now-famous head-kick knockout from UFC 278.

After going 3-1 down on the scorecards heading into the fifth round, Leon Edwards needed a minor miracle if he wanted to defeat Kamaru Usman and capture the UFC welterweight championship.

It’s good, then, that he was able to find that miracle in the form of a devastating head-kick that left Usman out cold on the canvas.

It was one of the most memorable knockouts in the recent history of mixed martial arts with the man known as ‘Rocky’ finally making his way to the top of the mountain.

A lot of Usman’s fans were initially in denial, to the point where they were actively calling Leon’s triumph a fluke.

Of course, that kind of setup and technique definitely can’t be attributed to luck, but Usman’s dominance seemed to cloud the judgement of many.

Now, the argument can be put to bed courtesy of this footage that shows Edwards’ team drilling the exact sequence that led to the stoppage.

Henry Cleminson: “If he starts throwing some shots and he starts dipping his head away, that’s when we’re looking for the head kick.”

Dave Lovell: “What I’ll say, you see when he moves there, if Leon gets that side to deliver the kick, don’t be delivering the kick in front of him.”

Henry Cleminson: “No no, round the angle, yeah, exactly.”

The footage then cuts to Edwards himself training with Cleminson on the technique.

“Jab away, hook kick. That’s it, on the angle! That’s it. Nice, lovely. That’s the one, and that’s when I reckon he’ll circle out a bit as well. Yeah, go the high kick.”

The next step

The overwhelming expectation is that in his next outing, Leon Edwards will defend the 170-pound title against Kamaru Usman in a trilogy fight.

The contest has the potential to be one of the biggest title bouts of this era with Dana White even hinting that it could go down at Wembley Stadium in London.

Alas, the focus for now will be on ensuring Edwards gets the victory tour he deserves.