At UFC 278, Leon Edwards was crowned the king of the welterweights. Now Edwards is looking to prove he should stay on top. In his way is a determined Kamaru Usman, ready to spoil a homecoming fight for Edwards.
Edwards defends the UFC welterweight title against Usman at UFC 286 on March 18. The fight is inside the O2 Arena, the backyard of the Birmingham-based Edwards.
Born in Jamaica, Edwards moved to England at nine. In 12 MMA fights in the U.K. area, he is undefeated. The last time Edwards returned home for a bout was in 2019, beating Gunnar Nelson. He was supposed to fight Tyron Woodley in London before the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down.
Edwards won the UFC welterweight title following a dramatic head kick in the last minute of his fight against Usman. Before that, many expected Usman to have his hand raised. There have been doubts about whether Edwards can beat him again, bringing their trilogy to 2-1 in favor of Edwards. No longer the challenger, Edwards is confident. He's ready for a passionate crowd to call out his name in one of the biggest fights of his career.
MORE: Sign up to watch the UFC 286 PPV, exclusively on ESPN+
“Now I’m going back as a world champion," Edwards told The Independent. “I can’t wait to go out there and prove to the world, to myself, to my team, that I am the best. This is my time – and I’ll reign for a long time…This is his first time actually fighting in someone’s backyard. Now he’s coming into enemy territory. I have never lost in the U.K. as an amateur or pro; I thrive on the energy of the fans, having my friends and family there.”
The Nigerian-Born Usman had his 19-fight win streak broken by Edwards. Beating Edwards in his UFC debut in 2015, The Ultimate Fighter 21 winner, 35, enters enemy territory for the first time. Although he is the favorite (-250 to +200 for Edwards, per Bet MGM), the atmosphere will be electric with immense pressure to perform in front of a mostly pro-Edwards crowd.
Looking to buy UFC 286? Here's all you need to know to watch the event, including the price.
How to watch UFC 286: Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3
| Country | Date | Channel + Live Stream (main card) |
| United States | Sat. March 18 | ESPN+, ESPN PPV |
| Canada | Sat. March 18 | BELL, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus, Eastlink, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass |
| United Kingdom | Sat. March 18 | BT Sport |
| Australia | Sun. March 19 | Main Event, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass |
The main card for UFC 286 is available in the U.S. and Mexico on the ESPN+ subscription streaming service for a pay-per-view cost. Earlier fights are viewable live on ESPN+.
MORE: How to bet on combat sports
In Canada, the main card pay-per-view is available on BELL, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus, Eastlink, and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass.
In the United Kingdom, the main card will be available on BT Sport, with the prelims on UFC Fight Pass.
In Australia, the main card will be on Main Event, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV, and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass.
Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3 price: How much does UFC 286 cost?
- $79.99 (current ESPN+ subscribers)
- $124.98 (new subscribers)
In the U.S., the UFC 286 main card is available via pay-per-view on ESPN+, which also requires a subscription. The PPV price for UFC 286 is $79.99 for current subscribers. New subscribers can pay a bundle price of $124.98 for the UFC 286 pay-per-view and an ESPN+ annual subscription, which offers savings of more than 30 percent.
BT Sport Box Office will charge £19.99 to access live coverage of the card. The buying window opens on March 10.
MORE: Sign up to watch the UFC 286 PPV, exclusively on ESPN+
| Product | Prices |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $9.99/month |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $99.99/year |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $13.99/month |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $19.99/month |
| UFC PPV Standalone | $74.99 each |
| UFC PPV Package (UFC PPV & ESPN+ Annual) | $99.98, then $69.99/year |
| UFC PPV & The Disney Bundle | $88.98, then $13.99/month |
Click here to learn about the different pricing and bundling options with the ESPN+ platform.
When is UFC 286: Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3?
- Date: Saturday, March 18 | Sunday, March 19
- Early FIGHT PASS Prelims: 1 p.m. ET | 5 p.m. GMT | 4 a.m. AEDT
- Prelims: 3 p.m. ET | 7 p.m. GMT | 6 a.m. AEDT
- Main card: 5 p.m. ET | 9 p.m. GMT | 8 a.m. AEDT
- Main event: 8 p.m. ET | 12 a.m. GMT | 11 a.m. AEDT (approx.)
UFC 286 takes place on Match 18. The FIGHT PASS prelims will begin at around 1 p.m. ET. The prelims will go live at 3 p.m. ET and the main card starts at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV. Edwards and Usman should make their way to the octagon around 8 p.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
UFC 286 fight card
Main card
- Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3 for the UFC welterweight title
- Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev; Lightweights
- Gunnar Nelson vs. Bryan Barberena; Welterweights
- Jennifer Maia vs. Casey O'Neill; Flyweights
- Marvin Vettori vs. Roman Dolidze; Middleweights
Prelims
- Jack Shore vs. Makwan Amirkhani, Featherweights
- Sam Patterson vs. Yanal Ashmoz; Lightweights
- Chris Duncan vs. Omar Morales; Lightweights
- Muhammad Mokaev vs. Jafel Filho; Flyweights
FIGHT PASS Prelims
- Lerone Murphy vs. Gabriel Santos; Featherweights
- Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Dusko Todorovic; Middleweights
- Malcolm Gordon vs. Jake Hadley; Flyweights
- Joanne Wood vs. Luana Carolina; Flyweights
- Jai Herbert vs. Ludovit Klein; Lightweights
- Juliana Miller vs. Veronica Hardy; Flyweights
The Sporting News may earn an affiliate commission through our links when you sign up for a streaming service. The Sporting News' affiliates have no influence over the editorial content included in this article.
