Leon Edwards has been waiting patiently for his shot at the UFC welterweight title. Now, he has a chance to win a title while also avenging a loss against champion Kamaru Usman. UFC 278 takes place on Aug. 20 inside Utah's Vivint Arena.
A three-time NCAA DII All-American, Usman had a freestyle record with over 35 wins. He made his MMA debut in 2012. After losing the second fight of his pro career, Usman has won 19 in a row. He beat Tyron Woodley in 2019 for the UFC welterweight title. Usman has defended the belt five times. "The Nigerian Nightmare" beat Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal twice, and beat Gilbert Burns via TKO.
Usman's last fight was a unanimous decision win over Covington in November. He has been recovering from hand surgery ever since.
Edwards made his pro debut in 2011. A BAMMA welterweight champion, Edwards joined the UFC in 2014. After losing his first bout for the promotion, Edwards has gone 11-1 with one no-contest.
“Rocky” lost to Usman back in 2015. Since then, he has gone on an impressive win streak, beating the likes of Vicente Luque, Bryan Barberena, Donald Cerrone, and Rafael dos Anjos.
Edwards was supposed to fight Khamzat Chimaev in 2020 and '21, but complication on Chimaev's end due to COVID-19 affected those plans. Edwards returned to action in March '21, facing Belal Muhammad. The fight was deemed a no-contest after Muhammad couldn't continue following an eye poke. Edwards last fought in June '21, beating Nate Diaz at UFC 263.
MORE:Sign up to watch the UFC 278 PPV, exclusively on ESPN+
The Sporting News has a full rundown of UFC 278, including schedule, matchups, start times, odds, and more for Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards 2 and the entire card.
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.
Earlier fights are viewable live on ESPN+, the WatchESPN app, and, for the early prelims, on UFC Fight Pass.
MORE:MMA Schedule 2022: Date, division, location for upcoming fights
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.
Where is UFC 278
UFC 278 takes place inside Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. The home court of the Utah Jazz, the arena can hold up to 20,000 people.
How much do tickets for UFC 278: Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards 2 cost?
Prices for UFC 278 start at $193, per TicketSmarter.
Ticket prices then range from $205, $305, $405, $505, $605, $705, $805, $905, $1,000, $2,000, $3,000, $4,000, $5,000, $6,000, $7,000, and $8,443.
Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards 2 odds for UFC 278
According to the FanDuel Sportsbook, Edwards is the +270 underdog, while Usman is the -335 favorite.
Kamaru Usman record, bio
- Nationality:Nigerian
- Born:May 11, 1987
- Height:6-0
- Reach:76 inches
- Total fights:21
- Record:20-1 with nine wins via knockout
MORE:WWE's Ronda Rousey names Gina Carano as only fighter for which she would make MMA return
Leon Edwards record, bio
- Nationality:British
- Born:Aug. 25, 1991
- Height:6-0
- Reach:74 inches
- Total fights:23
- Record:19-3 with one no-contest, six wins via knockout
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
The Sporting News may earn an affiliate commission when you sign up for a streaming service through our links. The Sporting News' affiliates have no influence over the editorial content included in this article.
