The Scorecard | UFC 286: Edwards vs Usman 3

Leon Edwards of Jamaica taunts Kamaru Usman of Nigeria between rounds in the UFC welterweight championship fight during the UFC 286 event at The O2 Arena on March 18, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

We Run Down The Five Biggest Winners From The O2 Arena In London, England

By Thomas Gerbasi, on Twitter: @TGerbasi • Mar. 20, 2023

Saturday’s UFC 286 event is in the books, and now that the dust has settled in London, it’s time to go to the scorecard to see who the big winners were at the O2 Arena.

1 – Leon Edwards

Leon Edwards of Jamaica punches Kamaru Usman of Nigeria in a lightweight fight during the UFC 286 event at The O2 Arena on March 18, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

I know Leon Edwards won the UFC welterweight title last August, but it was on Saturday night that he looked like a champion. Confident, skilled, in control, Edwards was in a close and tough fight with a fighter who is not easy to beat, and he fought the way you expect the best 170-pounder in the world to fight. In doing so, “Rocky” may be settling in for a long reign, but he’s got a gang of killers targeting him, with Gilbert Burns, Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal, Belal Muhammad, Shavkat Rakhmonov and Usman just a few of the contenders in the queue. I get the impression that’s just the way Edwards likes it, and at 31, he may be in his prime for the most important stretch of his career.

WATCH: Leon Edwards Post-Fight Interview | UFC 286

2 – Justin Gaethje

Justin Gaethje Post-Fight Interview | UFC 286

Justin Gaethje with another bonus-winning performance? Shocking. They say that the only inevitable things in life are death and taxes, but you can add “The Highlight” to that list, because when he’s in the Octagon, excitement follows. And yes, after his win over Rafael Fiziev, he’s back in the title race at lightweight, and I know he’s already held the interim belt and would love the undisputed strap, but if Gaethje never gets there, he will still go down in history as one of the truest warriors to strap the gloves on, and no one who has seen him fight will ever forget it. That’s quite the legacy.

UFC 286 REWIND: Final Results | Bonus Coverage | Official Scorecards

3 – Jennifer Maia

Jennifer Maia of Brazil kicks Casey O'Neill of Scotland in a flyweight fight during the UFC 286 event at The O2 Arena on March 18, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Sometimes youth and talent can’t make up for good ol’ fashioned experience, and Jennifer Maia spoiled Casey O’Neill’s perfect pro record at the O2 by using every ounce of that experience. That makes it two in a row for the Brazilian contender, and with her strength of schedule, grit and skill set, she’s a threat to new champ Alexa Grasso, and with a couple more wins, she just may be back in line for a second world title shot.

4 – Jack Shore

Jack Shore Post-Fight Interview | UFC 286

I don’t think anyone thought Jack Shore was going to leave the UFC bantamweight division after the lone loss of his pro career to Ricky Simon last summer, but apparently weight cuts to 135 were getting the best of “Tank,” so off he went to the featherweight class, and promptly picked up an impressive second-round submission of veteran Makwan Amirkhani. Shore was a legit prospect at 135, and he remains one at 145, making the future a bright one for the Welshman.

5 – Veronica Hardy

Veronica Hardy Post-Fight Interview | UFC 286

Absent from the Octagon since the last fight before the pandemic shutdown in March of 2020, Veronica Hardy had a long break before returning on Saturday to face Juliana Miller. And while the former Ms. Macedo had always shown world-class potential in the UFC, questions swirled around her and her fighting future heading into fight night. Well, she answered them positively, shutting out the talented flyweight prospect and propelling herself back in the mix of a weight class that is wide open after Grasso took the belt from longtime champion Valentina Shevchenko. It’s a feel-good story for 2023, and we can always use more of those.

UFC 286: Edwards vs Usman 3 took place live from the O2 Arena in London in March 18, 2023. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!