Kamaru Usman opens as big favorite in potential trilogy bout against Leon Edwards

Kamaru Usman will still be favored to beat Leon Edwards when they fight for the third time.

Usman closed as a -380 favorite against Edwards at UFC 278 and was well on his way to winning the bout until the Brit landed a perfectly timed head kick that KO’d the champ with less than a minute left.

Although Edwards won the rematch and is the new welterweight champion, oddsmakers don’t expect his reign to last long. After the event, odds were released for a potential trilogy bout and Usman opened as a sizeable favorite.

Odds:

Leon Edwards +285
Kamaru Usman -350

With Usman opening as a -350 favorite, it implies he wins the fight 77.8% of the time and you would need to bet $350 to win $100. If you like Edwards to win again, a $100 bet would net you $285 if he defends his belt. His current odds also only imply a 26% chance of winning.

When the Edwards-Usman trilogy happen is uncertain, however, all parties have said an immediate trilogy is likely.

“How do you not [do a trilogy]? Yeah [I want to do it in England],” White revealed after UFC 278 about an Edwards-Usman trilogy. “I don’t think [Leon would] have to sit and wait anyway. He wouldn’t have to wait that long. He’d have to go back into camp and start training anyway. First of all, we’d have to have the date. I think we’re booked up into January now. There will be no waiting for him, even if it’s a rematch.”

Leon Edwards (20-3 and one No Contest) is now on an 11-fight unbeaten streak. Before the KO win over Usman at UFC 278 to become the new champ, he beat the likes of Nate Diaz, Rafael dos Anjos, and Donald Cerrone among others.

Kamaru Usman (20-2) suffered his first UFC loss at UFC 278 to lose his belt in his sixth attempt at defending his welterweight title. In his career, he holds notable wins over Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal, and Gilbert Burns.

Who will you be betting on, Leon Edwards or Kamaru Usman?