Leon Edwards fight record: Who did 'Rocky' first lose to and why was it controversial?

UFC 278 will see Leon Edwards take on Kamaru Usman for the UFC welterweight title in what will be the Jamaican-born Brit's first UFC championship fight. While 'Rocky' boasts an impressive record, his journey hasn't been flawless, with Edwards suffering three defeats during his professional MMA career.

His first loss came under controversial circumstances, with Edwards losing to Delroy McDowell via disqualification due to an illegal knee. The knee left McDowell in a very bad condition, needing immediate medical attention in the cage.

Watch the full bout here:

Edwards' opponent was able to stand up for the official decision, but seemed to be moving involuntarily on the floor while receiving medical assistance from the staff. 'Rocky' was visibly concerned for McDowell, but his opponent raised Edwards' hand after the bout.

The British fighter didn't lose again until joining the UFC, with Claudio Silva beating 'Rocky' on his organizational debut in 2014. After that setback, Leon Edwards managed to gain some form, winning back-to-back bouts before meeting Kamaru Usman in 2015.

Usman beat Edwards via unanimous decision at UFC on FOX 17: Dos Anjos vs. Cowboy 2. The duo will now rematch at UFC 278 this weekend, but this time, the bout is for the UFC welterweight title.

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Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards: Height, reach, weight and UFC record comparison

Kamaru Usman is currently the UFC welterweight champion and will put his belt on the line against Leon Edwards at UFC 278. 'Rocky' is 5cm taller than his 183cm opponent, but surprisingly has a smaller reach than the champion despite the height difference.

Usman has a reach of 193cm, with the Brit having a reach of 188cm. Edwards last weighed-in at 170.5lbs, which is 1.5lbs heavier than Usman's last weigh-in result. However, given both fighters compete in the welterweight division, there will likely be no size advantage to be had during the bout.

Leon Edwards has a UFC record of 11 wins, two losses and one no contest. The single no contest result came against Belal Muhammad due to an eye poke. Edwards' losses both came via decision when losing to Usman and Claudio Silva early in his UFC career.

'The Nigerian Nightmare' has never lost during his UFC career, winning all 15 of his bouts in the organization. Most of Usman's wins have come via decision, but the champion recently knocked out Jorge Masvidal in impressive fashion.