UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman will headline UFC 278 against Leon Edwards on Aug. 20 in Salt Lake City, the promotion announced Saturday.
Usman is coming off a unanimous decision win over Colby Covington last November in his fifth title defense. "The Nigerian Nightmare" is the No. 1-ranked men's pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC.
Edwards will finally get his first UFC title opportunity on the heels of a 10-fight unbeaten streak. The Brit hasn't stepped into the Octagon since a dominant win over Nate Diaz in June 2021.
Usman and Edwards first met in 2015, before either was a top contender in the division. Usman won by unanimous decision. Neither man has lost a fight since then.
UFC 278 will reportedly also feature a middleweight matchup between Paulo Costa and former champion Luke Rockhold.
