Nothing lasts forever in combat sports, especially title reigns. Leon Edwards proved that when he beat Kamaru Usman at UFC 278 to end the latter's reign as UFC welterweight champion, which lasted about three years. “Rocky” is also very aware of that for himself.
In his backyard in England, Edwards defends the welterweight title in a trilogy bout against Usman on March 18. The O2 Arena will be the place to be, an arena Edwards has fought three times in, while Edwards will make his O2 debut.
Edwards was about to lose the UFC 278 bout until a head kick from nowhere secured his spot on top of the mountain. Knowing that being a champion can come with a short time in the spotlight, Edwards is ready to defy the odds in front of family and friends.
“I do feel like the champion, but I’m not gonna fool myself into saying: ‘This is my belt forever,’” Edwards told The Independent. “I know that I have to work to keep it. It doesn’t belong to me; I have to earn it every single time. I’ll go out there and earn it again this week.”
MORE: Sign up to watch the UFC 286 PPV, exclusively on ESPN+
Usman, The Ultimate Fighter 21 winner, beat Edwards in his UFC debut in 2015. The recent loss against Edwards ended a 19-fight unbeaten streak. The favorite in this bout (-250, per Bet MGM), Usman’s quest back to prominence starts in enemy territory, a first for him.
Here is all you need to watch UFC 286, including the channel, time, and fight card.
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+.
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.
MORE: Dana White confirms next opponent for Jon Jones
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 | 6 p.m. GMT | 5 a.m. AEDT
- Prelims: 3 p.m. ET | 8 p.m. GMT | 7 a.m. AEDT
- Main card: 5 p.m. ET | 10 p.m. GMT | 9 a.m. AEDT
- Main event: 8 p.m. ET | 1 a.m. GMT | 12 p.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
- Joanna Wood vs. Luana Carolina; Flyweights
- Jai Herbert vs. Ludovit Klein; Lightweights
- Juliana Miller vs. Veronica Macedo; Flyweights
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