"This changes the debate"- Luke Thomas weighs in on the welterweight G.O.A.T. discussion

Luke Thomas (left) & Leon Edwards v Kamaru Usman (right) [Image courtesy:Luke Thomas/Facebook and @SandhuMMA/Twitter]

Luke Thomas has sounded-off on the shocking conclusion to UFC 278. In a historic upset, Leon Edwards knocked out long-reigning champion Kamaru Usman in the dying moments of their title bout. MMA analyst Thomas believes that the knockout has changed the welterweight G.O.A.T. discussion.

Leon Edwards knocks Kamaru Usman out cold (2022)

📸 @ChrisUnger_ https://t.co/xlm5PaNxm7

UFC President Dana White made headlines leading up to UFC 278 when he stated that Kamaru Usman had established himself as the greatest welterweight of all-time. Considering the welterweight career Georges St-Pierre had, the statement took many by surprise.

In the aftermath of Usman's first UFC loss, MMA analyst Luke Thomas believes the debate has been altered. In a YouTube short released on his channel, Thomas stated:

"This changes the debate a little bit about who's the best welterweight of all-time, Usman or St-Pierre. This knockout loss now somewhat diminishes, at least a little bit, in the debate the role of the Serra loss that St-Pierre suffered."

Thomas is referring to Georges St-Pierre's first title defense in 2007. The Canadian was knocked out by Matt Serra in a stupefying upset victory for the American.

The first-round loss would be the final loss of St-Pierre's career, as he would win his final thirteen fights and retire with a 26-2 record.

Matt Serra shocked the world against Georges St-Pierre 14 years ago today https://t.co/eJtKPYR7vv

For those who supported the idea of Kamaru Usman being the greatest welterweight of all-time, they can no longer bring up that he is yet to be knocked out. Usman and St-Pierre both have two losses on their record, with both fighters losing one fight by knockout and one fight by submission.

Watch Luke Thomas' full comments below:

Luke Thomas believes that Kamaru Usman needs to learn from Georges St-Pierre

Thomas believes that Kamaru Usman must implement more wrestling in his future fights, as Georges St-Pierre did in the latter half of his UFC career. Thomas stated:

"Speaking of St-Pierre, you can see why in the second half of his career, he went to such a wrestling heavy style of fighting because you can control many more variables here."

Thomas continued by adding:

"Either get wrestle heavy or get better at finishing because the longer you let a fight go, the longer you even spend any time standing up, and yes I know the majority was wrestling, the more you invite the stand up, the more you invite chaos to takeover the fight."

Utilizing his wrestling had Usman ahead on all three scorecards with less than a minute left in the fight.

#UFC278 Official Scorecard: Kamaru Usman vs Leon Edwards (@Leon_EdwardsMMA)

View All Official Scorecards: ufc.com/news/official-… https://t.co/9NsMFAwLIC

In the fifth-round, Usman moved away from his wrestling, which opened the door for the vicious knockout. Usman noted that he made a mistake while adding that he will be back with a vengeance.