"There's a good chance Usman slips" - Alexander Volkanovski describes exactly what Leon Edwards did in order to land 'headshot' kick in Kamaru Usman fight
While addressing the viral moment on his YouTube channel, Alexander Volkanovski gave a detailed analysis of the finish during Kamaru Usman versus Leon Edwards at UFC 278 this past weekend.
The Australian is known for his unique style inside the octagon and the 145-pounder prides himself on having an extensive knowledge of mixed martial arts. 'The Great' is currently sidelined while healing from hand surgery but expects to get back in the cage soon, with rumors pointing at him making his UFC lightweight debut.
Leon Edwards captured the welterweight title after delivering a 'headshot' kick to knock out Kamaru Usman on August 20. While many are claiming the strike was 'lucky', Alexander Volkanovski took the time to share with fans just how the Brit managed to land the perfect shot:
"Let's break down the technique... It's a good technique to use. You're throwing the jab, or a two in Leon's case because he's southpaw. As he's [Usman's] slipping, he's slipping into the kick, so it's beautiful... As he's [Leon's] committing to that [one-two], that kick's already coming up... The timing of his [Usman] slipping as the kick's coming up, so he's literally running straight into that kick... If that kick was on the normal beat... There's a good chance Usman slips and starts to square himself up."
The crowd erupted after seeing 'Rocky' land the telling blow just a little under a minute from the end of the fight. Kamaru Usman has taken the loss well, congratulating the new welterweight king at every possible opportunity and relishing the chance to step back into the cage to reclaim his throne.
Check out what Alexander Volkanovski had to say about Leon Edwards' sensational knockout at UFC 278 in the video below:
Will Kamaru Usman ever get back to his best after the knockout?
Although it's unfair to count Kamaru Usman out at this stage, the past has proved that receiving such a devastating knockout could spell the beginning of the end for fighters.
Anderson Silva is a huge example of an elite-level athlete's career seemingly collapsing after being finished. The Brazilian was at the top of his game, winning 16 straight inside the octagon and finishing his last five opponents before being stopped by Chris Weidman. This resulted in him winning just one more fight in the next seven years.
'The Nigerian Nightmare' was on a similarly dominant run before enduring his knockout loss, so it's hard not to speculate whether he'll suffer the same fate as the greatest middleweight of all time.