Kamaru Usman’s path to cementing himself as one of the all-time greats will be tested on August 20. Inside Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah, Usman defends the UFC welterweight title in a rematch against Leon Edwards.
Usman defends the title for the sixth time. He faces Edwards in a rematch from a 2015 matchup where he won via unanimous decision. Following the fight on August 20, Usman has his focus on the light heavyweight division and the UFC light heavyweight title. The 35-year-old Usman is ready to be the first champion to fight for light heavyweight gold since UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya faced then-UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz in 2021.
“After Leon Edwards, we have our sights set on (light heavyweight), whether it’s Jan or whether it’s Jiri, whoever it is, that’s what we want,” Edwards once stated to TMZ Sports, via Bloody Elbow.
“I want to prove to the world that there’s a reason why they say pound-for-pound. That means pound-for-pound at any given time, any given moment, any given weight, I can go in there and not only hold my own, I can be victorious. I wanna be able to prove that.”
The current champion is Jiri Prochazka, who beat Glover Teixeira for the title.
Usman has won 19 in a row and beat Colby Covington (twice), Jorge Masvidal (twice), and Gilbert Burns to retain the welterweight title. "The Nigerian Nightmare's" last bout was a unanimous decision win over Covington in November.
MORE: Sign up to watch the UFC 278 PPV, exclusively on ESPN+
Edwards joined the UFC in 2014. He last fought in June 2021, beating Nate Diaz at UFC 263. Since losing to Usman, "Rocky" has gone 9-0 with one no-contest.
The Sporting News looks into the purse history of the two fighters and what they may be set to earn at UFC 278.
Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards 2 fight purse, prize money
The official UFC 278 purse has not yet been revealed, but previous payouts for Usman and Edwards could help provide some insight as to how much they will earn.
MORE: UFC 278 date, start time, odds, PPV schedule & card for Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards 2
Per The Sports Daily, Usman earned $72,500 when he won The Ultimate Fighter in 2015. When he beat Tyron Woodley for the UFC welterweight title in 2019, Usman made about $380,000. The highest he has earned in a title fight was in 2021, where he made $692,000 in a rematch against Jorge Masvidal. In his last fight against Colby Covington in November, Usman made $642,000.
In repeat fights, Usman made a combined $1,332,000 against Masvidal, and $1,232,000 against Covington. These numbers also include fight night incentive bonuses.
In his UFC debut in 2015, Edwards earned $66,000, per The Sports Daily. When he beat Rafael dos Anjos in 2019, Edwards made $118,000. When a fight against Tyron Woodley was nixed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Edwards was able to bring home $20,000.
When he returned to action against Belal Muhammad, Edwards made $120,000. His highest payday came against Nate Diaz, earning $231,000.
What is Kamaru Usman’s net worth?
Per Celebrity Net Worth, Usman’s net worth is about $3 million. This is following a base salary of over $600,000, as well as endorsements. Recently, it was announced that Usman will star in Black Panther 2.
Comparing him to other champions in the UFC, double-champion Amanda Nunes has a net worth of about $4 million. Israel Adesanya also has a net worth of about $4 million. Alexander Volkanovski’s net worth is about $2 million.
What is Leon Edwards’ net worth?
Per Sports Zion, Edwards has a net worth of about $1.5 million.
MORE: MMA Schedule 2022: Date, division, location for upcoming fights
When is UFC 278: Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards 2?
- Date: Saturday, August 20
- FIGHT PASS Prelims: 6 p.m. ET
- Prelims: 8 p.m. ET
- Main card: 10 p.m. ET
- Main event: 12:15 a.m. ET (approximately)
UFC 278 takes place on Aug. 20. The FIGHT PASS prelims will begin at around 6 p.m. ET. The prelims will go live at 8 p.m. ET and the main card starts at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV. Usman and Edwards should make their way to the octagon around 12:15 a.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
How to watch UFC 278: Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards 2
- TV channels: ESPN+
- Live stream: ESPN+, UFC Fight Pass
The main card for UFC 278 is available in the U.S. and Mexico on the ESPN+ subscription streaming service for a pay-per-view cost. Sign up now to watch UFC 278, exclusively on ESPN+.
Earlier fights are viewable live on ESPN+, the WatchESPN app, and, for the early prelims, on UFC Fight Pass.
In Canada, the main card pay-per-view is available on TSN, Bell, Rogers, Shaw, Eastlink, and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass.
In the United Kingdom, the main card will be available on BT Sport, with the prelims available on UFC Fight Pass.
In Australia, the main card will be on Main Event, Kayo Sports, FOXTEL, and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass.
Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards 2 price: How much does UFC 278 cost?
- $74.99 (current ESPN+ subscribers)
- $99.98 (new subscribers)
In the U.S., the UFC 278 main card is available via pay-per-view on ESPN+, which also requires a subscription. The PPV price for UFC 278 is $74.99 for current subscribers. New subscribers can pay a bundle price of $99.98 for the UFC 278 pay-per-view and an ESPN+ annual subscription, which offers savings of more than 30 percent.
MORE: Sign up to watch the UFC 278 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.
*Going into effect August 23, ESPN+'s monthly subscription will change from $6.99/mo to $9.99/mo. The annual ESPN+ subscription package will change from $69.99/yr to $99.99/yr.
There is no change to the standalone PPV, or to the Disney Bundle.
UFC 278 fight card
Main card
- Kamaru Usman (c) vs. Leon Edwards 2 for the UFC welterweight title
- Jose Aldo vs. Merab Dvalishvili; Bantamweights
- Paulo Costa vs. Luke Rockhold; Middleweights
- Wu Yanan vs. Lucie Pudilova; Bantamweights
- Tyson Pedro vs. Harry Hunsucker; Light Heavyweights
Prelims
- Marcin Tybura vs. Alexandr Romanov; Heavyweights
- Leonardo Santos vs. Jared Gordon; Lightweights
- Sean Woodson vs. Luis Saldana; Featherweights
FIGHT PASS Prelims
- A.J. Fletcher vs. Ange Loosa; Welterweights
- Amir Albazi vs. Francisco Figueiredo; Flyweights
- Aori Qileng vs. Jay Perrin; Bantamweights
- Daniel Lacerda vs. Victor Altamirano; Flyweights
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