Results | UFC 286: Edwards vs Usman 3

UFC returns to London for the third time in 12 months on Saturday, March 18, with a rematch of one of the most exhilarating fights of 2022. The O2 hosts once again as British UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards headlines the card against No. 1 ranked Kamaru Usman in a trilogy bout. In the co-main, No. 3 contender Justin Gaethje faces off against No. 6 ranked Rafael Fiziev in a lightweight battle.

UFC 286: Edwards vs Usman 3 Early Prelims kickoff Saturday, March 18 at 1pm ET / 10am PT in the United States on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass. The Prelims air at 3pm ET / 12pm PT on ESPN News and the Main Card will air exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S. at 5pm ET / 2pm PT.

Main event scheduled for five rounds. All other bouts scheduled for three rounds. | Official Scorecards 

UFC 286: Edwards vs Usman 3 Results Veronica Hardy defeats Juliana Miller by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Jai Herbert and Ludovit Klein fight to a majority draw (29-27, 28-28, 28-28) Joanne Wood defeats Luana Carolina by split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28) Jake Hadley defeats Malcolm Gordon by TKO (strikes) at 1:01 of Round 1 Christian Leroy Duncan defeats Dusko Todorovic by TKO (injury) at 1:52 of Round 1

UFC 286: Edwards vs Usman 3 Early Prelim Results  

Veronica Hardy defeats Juliana Miller by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Fighting for the first time in more than three years, Veronica Hardy picked up her first UFC win since August 2019 in Saturday’s opener, out-hustling TUF 30 winner Juliana Miller.

Veronica Hardy Post-Fight Interview | UFC 286

Veronica Hardy Post-Fight Interview | UFC 286

Hardy had a clear experience advantage and relied on it throughout the fight, punishing Miller on the feet and taxing her opponent every time she looked to get the fight to the canvas and chase submissions. Her pace remained quick throughout, and she landed her best shot of the fight late in the contest, blasting Miller with a high kick with just over a minute remaining in the contest.

This was an excellent effort from Hardy, who is still just 27 years old and looks to be settled into competing in the flyweight ranks. With the win, she moves to 2-4 inside the Octagon and 7-4-1 overall, while Miller falls to 4-2 with the loss.| Official Scorecards 

Jai Herbert and Ludovit Klein fight to a majority draw (29-27, 28-28, 28-28)

A competitive lightweight scrap between Ludovit Klein and Jai Herbert turned on a pair of inadvertent low blows resulting in a point deduction against Herbert in the final round.

The lightweight fight between Jai Herbert (L) of England and Ludovit Klein (R) of Slovakia is declared a draw during the UFC 286 event at The O2 Arena on March 18, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

The lightweight fight between Jai Herbert (L) of England and Ludovit Klein (R) of Slovakia is declared a draw during the UFC 286 event at The O2 Arena on March 18, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Herbert did well off his back in the opening frame, hurting Klein with upkicks, punches, and elbows that opened up a cut over the left eye of the Slovakian. In the second, Klein responded by making sharp adjustments and taking the fight to Herbert to draw level. A second borderline low blow from Herbert prompted referee Rich Mitchell to dock the British veteran a point in the third, which spurred Herbert into action, as he dominated the round from that point forward.

The outcome came down to how the judges scored the contest and when the scores were tallied, the result was a majority draw. | Official Scorecards 

Joanne Wood defeats Luana Carolina by split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)

Joanne Wood and Luana Carolina went shot-for-shot for 15 minutes on Saturday’s prelims, with the Scottish veteran starting well and her Brazilian counterpart finding her footing and growing into the fight as it progressed.

Joanne Wood Post-Fight Interview | UFC 286

Joanne Wood Post-Fight Interview | UFC 286

Wood was the more technical of the two throughout, doing good work in the clinch and on the breaks, creating a massive mouse under the right eye of Carolina over the course of the contest, but “Dread” certainly had positive moments of her own. Her left hand was sharp over the final two rounds and caused Wood trouble, but the former Ultimate Fighter contestant was able to respond in kind and crank up the impact of her offence down the stretch.

For the third consecutive fight, the judges were called upon to decide the outcome, and when their scores were tabulated, Wood took home the split decision victory, spanning a three-fight slide in the process.| Official Scorecards 

Jake Hadley defeats Malcolm Gordon by TKO (strikes) at 1:01 of Round 1

Jake Hadley knew Malcolm Gordon struggled to make weight, and he went out and took advantage of that on Saturday, collecting a first-round stoppage win over the Canadian veteran.

Jake Hadley Post-Fight Interview | UFC 286

Jake Hadley Post-Fight Interview | UFC 286

The British Contender Series graduate stung Gordon with a body shot right out of the chute and continued to go back to that well in the clinch. A pair of digging left hands caused Gordon to crumble to the canvas, sending Hadley into celebration mode and the fans in attendance into hysterics.

After dropping his debut, Hadley has now collected back-to-back stoppage wins to establish himself as an ascending name to watch in the flyweight division.| Official Scorecards 

Christian Leroy Duncan defeats Dusko Todorovic by TKO (injury) at 1:52 of Round 1

It’s not the way Christian Leroy Duncan wanted to win his promotional debut, but the former Cage Warriors middleweight champ comes away with a first-round stoppage win after Dusko Todorovic suffered a knee injury early in the first round.

Christian Leroy Duncan Octagon Interview | UFC 286

Christian Leroy Duncan Octagon Interview | UFC 286

Duncan looked good on the feet in the initial exchanges, switching stances well. As they two clinched and circled off the fence, Todorovic’s knee buckled and he crumpled to the canvas, bringing the fight to an immediate halt.

It’s an anticlimactic finish to what was a highly anticipated contest, but it’s a win nonetheless for “CLD,” who moves to 8-0 with the victory and remains someone to keep tabs on in the middleweight division going forward.| Official Scorecards 

Lerone Murphy defeats Gabriel Santos by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Featherweights Lerone Murphy and Gabriel Santos closed out the early preliminary card slate with a barnburner.

From the jump, the pair got after it, no quarter asked and none given, with each man responding almost immediately when the other would land. Murphy seemed to land the higher impact blows on the feet, but Santos did well whenever the fight hit the canvas, threatening with submissions in each of the first two rounds. In the third, Murphy pulled away on the feet, his gas tank holding up better than his late-notice replacement.

The judges were called upon again to determine the victor, and two of the three judges felt that Murphy had done more. With the win, “The Miracle” extends his winning streak to four and his unbeaten streak to a baker’s dozen, while Santos suffers the first loss of his career, but sees his stock rise after a strong short-notice effort here.| Official Scorecards 

UFC 286: Edwards vs Usman 3 Prelim Fight Results 

Muhammad Mokaev vs Jafel Filho  Undefeated Muhammad Mokaev (8-0, fighting out of Manchester, England by way of Dagestan) made his UFC debut in March last year in England’s capital. He returns to the O2 as No. 12 ranked flyweight to take on Brazil’s own Jafel Filho (14-2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).

Watch On ESPN+ | Official Scorecards 

UFC 286: Edwards vs Usman 3 Main Card Fight Results 

Co-Main Event: Justin Gaethje vs Rafael Fiziev  Justin Gaethje (23-4, fighting out of Colorado, United States), the No. 3 lightweight, will be hoping to get his name back in title contention with a big win in London. The American is an all-action fighter, securing 19 wins by knockout, including nine first-round finishes. Known as “The Highlight,” he will be looking to steal the show with only one decision needed in his last 14 fights. Rafael Fiziev (12-1, fighting out of Phuket, Thailand by way of Baku, Azerbaijan) is on a six-fight win streak and is coming off a ‘Performance of the Night’ knockout of former lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos last September. A Muay Thai fighter with lethal striking, the No. 6 ranked contender is rapidly making a name for himself and has three knockouts in his last four bouts.

Watch On ESPN+ | Official Scorecards 

Main Event: Leon Edwards vs Kamaru Usman  The UK’s second UFC champion, Leon Edwards (20-3, fighting out of Birmingham, England) returns to the Octagon looking to defend his title after a stunning knockout of Kamaru Usman last August. A well-rounded fighter known for his technical striking, he comes into this fight aiming to extend his 11-fight unbeaten streak in front of a home crowd as he takes on the last man to defeat him in the UFC. Kamaru Usman (20-2, fighting out of Florida, United States by way of Auchi, Nigeria) will be focused on avenging his sole UFC defeat at the hands of his next opponent. A dominant wrestler with knockout power in both hands, Usman was the pound for pound best fighter in the UFC prior to the defeat and was riding a 19-fight winning streak. Recently starring in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, he’ll be looking forward to making his hands do the talking this time.   

Watch On ESPN+ | Official Scorecards 

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