Leon Edwards doubts Kamaru Usman will be the same fighter for UFC 286 trilogy after brutal head kick KO loss

LEON EDWARDS reckons Kamaru Usman might not be the same fighter he once was when they renew their rivalry later this year.

The former UFC welterweight champion entered his rematch with the Brit last summer as the sport's pound-for-pound king and was on course to tie Anderson Silva's record of 16 straight octagon wins.

But a perfectly-executed Hail Mary head kick from Rocky in the dying embers of the fifth and final round knocked The Nigerian Nightmare off both perches.

Usman, 35, had never been stopped prior to that fateful night in Utah, which Edwards believes could've had a career-changing effect ahead of their March trilogy fight at UFC 286.

The pride of Birmingham asked SunSport: "How does he come back from the knockout?"

Edwards' confidence is brimming ahead of the rubber match at London's O2 Arena, although it doesn't just stem from the knowledge he can shut the former champion's lights out.

He said: "I can also take the confidence from knowing that I can take him down, knowing I can hurt him, knowing I can knock him out."

Edwards' knockout of Usman will go down as arguably the most iconic head kick in the history of mixed martial arts.

His claiming of the UFC welterweight strap was the icing on the cake of his fairytale story from council estate tearaway to inspirational Birmingham community figure.

Rocky said: "It's a prideful thing and something that I wear on my sleeve - to try to give back and try to show other kids that it's not where you start, it's where you finish.

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"If you find something you love, it doesn't have to be MMA, it could be anything, just dedicate yourself to it, make a plan and work hard.

"You can achieve something. You don't have to die where you start. That's not it.

"I understand it's hard because I was once there and you feel like the world is against you.