Leon Edwards was left in tears after phoning his jubilant mum and family following his upset victory over Kamaru Usman.
Edwards was looking to become UFC welterweight champion at the first time of asking but he faced a daunting task in beating Usman having lost their previous 2015 bout.
However in simply sensational fashion, the British star landed a booming leg kick to the head of the Nigerian which sent him crumbling to the canvas out cold, and handed Edwards his first ever UFC title win.
The British star was understandably emotional after his achievement set in following the conclusion of his post-fight speech, and he ensured to phone his family and talk to them following his excellent display. He shouted: "I told you mum, I told you I'd do it!" while bursting into tears and sobbing with his mum audibly screaming with delight on the other end of the call.
He continued to pace up and down and share the moment with his family who were all understandably overjoyed by his crowning as champion and after recomposing himself from the emotional moment, he was congratulated by his mum. Edwards can feel delighted at his display having become the first man to beat Usman in his UFC career.
The Nigerian got the better of their 2015 encounter on points and it looked as if the fight would reach a similar outcome until Edwards completely turned the tides with a booming kick to his rival's temple. He was also emotional during his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan shortly beforehand where he assessed his victory.
"I can’t put it into words. It’s been a long four years," he said in the octagon after the win. "They all doubted me, they all said I couldn’t do it. Look at me now! I’m from the trenches, I’m built like this. I go until the battle is done. I do it for everyone coming behind me. I told you it was possible. We can win a belt, from the UK.
"Look at me now. I told you I could do it. God is on my side. I said it all week, I felt like this is my moment. Everything that happened in the past – two years out, the pandemic, all of it. They all said I couldn’t come back and do it." Edwards will now have a whole host of options including a trilogy fight with Usman, but the British star is not worried if the fight happens further down the line.
"I knew more than likely going into it that we will have a rematch and whether it is next or down the line that's fine," Edwards said. "The belt belongs to nobody no man is meant to hold the belt for that long and as I said I am the best. Make that at Wembley one hundred per cent."
