Kamaru Usman was taken to a hospital Saturday night, Dana White told reporters, after Leon Edwards knocked him out with a head kick at UFC 278 in Salt Lake City to win the welterweight championship.
Usman, 35, was the consensus winner through four rounds before Edwards turned the tables and shocked the UFC world by knocking out the men’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter.
Two messages were posted to Usman’s Twitter account after the fight.
Kamaru Usman lies on the mat after being knocked out by Leon Edwards on Saturday at UFC 278. Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Leon Edwards (l.) knocked Kamaru Usman (r.) out with a head kick Saturday at UFC 278 to win the welterweight title. Zuffa LLC via Getty Images“Champs f–k up sometimes…but we bounce back and come with vengeance!!!” one tweet said. Usman congratulated Edwards in the second tweet.
The loss snapped a 19-fight win streak for Usman and was only the second of his MMA career — his first in the UFC.
Usman won the welterweight title from Tyron Woodley at UFC 235 on March 2, 2019 and successfully defended the belt five times before Saturday’s loss.
Edwards’ last loss came against Usman on Dec. 19, 2015.
