UFC 286 (Edwards vs Usman 3) Fight Card & Odds
Mixed martial arts enthusiasts across the pond are buzzing as UFC 286 is set to take over the O2 Arena in London, England on Saturday, March 18. It’s going to be an exciting night of MMA action as the card is filled with talented fighters and features a massive main event.
Edwards vs. Usman 3 to Headline UFC 286
Leon Edwards (20-3, 1NC) defends the UFC Welterweight Championship against Kamaru Usman (20-2) in UFC 286’s headline matchup. This will be the third matchup between the talented welterweight fighters and after they split the first two meetings, fans are dying to see who’ll win the rubber match.
In addition to the highly anticipated main event, there’s a lot to take in before UFC 286 kicks off. Fortunately, your friends at Betting News have you covered. Here’s a look at the important information you need to know about the pay-per-view, ranging from the start time to FanDuel Sportsbook’s odds on each fight.
UFC 286 Event Details
When is UFC 286?
UFC 286 will take place on Saturday, March 18, 2023.
Where is UFC 286?
UFC 286 will take place at the O2 Arena in London, England.
What time does UFC 286 start?
- UFC 286 Early Prelims Start Time: 1 p.m. ET
- UFC 286 Prelims Start Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Start Time of UFC 286’s Main Card: 5 p.m. ET
How can I watch UFC 286?
The early prelims will be available on UFC Fight Pass, while the prelims will be available on both ESPN2 and ESPN+, and the main card will be available via pay-per-view (which can be ordered through the ESPN+ app).
UFC 286 Main Card and Odds (Odds as of Tuesday, March 14)
The UFC 286 odds listed below are via FanDuel Sportsbook.
UFC 286 Main Event: Leon Edwards (+196) vs. Kamaru Usman (-260)
As mentioned earlier, Edwards and Usman are more than familiar with each other. The duo first collide at UFC on Fox 17 back in 2015. The duo went head-to-head on the early preliminary card, ending in a unanimous decision victory for Usman after three rounds.
The talented fighters would then go seven years without meeting again before colliding in the UFC 278 main event. Though the fight made it to Round 5, it didn’t reach the judges’ table as Edwards knocked Usman out with a head kick with less than a minute to go, capturing the welterweight title in the process.
It’s clear that the two welterweights are evenly matched, making it interesting to see who emerges victorious this weekend. While Edwards is the reigning champion, Usman has never lost back-to-back fights in his career. It’s another matchup that could come down to the wire.
At the end of the day, it’s clear that this fight is getting the hype it deserves.
UFC 286 Co-Main Event: Justin Gaethje (+196) vs. Rafael Fiziev (-260)
The UFC 286 co-main event sees Justin Gaethje (23-4) going one-on-one with Rafael Fiziev (12-1) in lightweight action.
Gaethje has been stuck in a rut lately, going 1-2 in his last three fights. Having said that, those losses came against Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira, so it’s not like he’s been losing to nobodies. Nevertheless, Gaethje did fail to capture the lightweight championship when he submitted to Oliveira, making it intriguing to see how he responds.
Meanwhile, Fiziev extended his winning streak to six consecutive fights with his KO win over Rafael dos Anjos at UFC Vegas 58. Fiziev has now knocked out three of the last four opponents he’s faced and will try to do the same to Gaethje, who’s been KO’d twice in his 12-year MMA career.
Welterweight: Gunnar Nelson (-430) vs. Bryan Barberena (+300)
Gunnar Nelson (18-5-1) hopes to continue his winning ways this weekend. The grappling expert made his UFC in March 2022 after a three-year absence, picking up an unanimous decision win over Takashi Sato. Considering how Nelson hasn’t won back-to-back fights in six years, it remains to be seen if he has what it takes.
Standing in Nelson’s path is Bryan Barberena (18-9), who’s coming off a submission loss to Rafael dos Anjos back in December. The 33-year-old veteran was on a three-fight winning streak prior to that less, so he’ll do what he can to prove that defeat was a one-off situation.
Women’s Flyweight: Jennifer Maia (+148) vs. Casey O’Neill (-192)
The women’s flyweight division will be on display as Jennifer Maia (20-9-1) takes on the undefeated Casey O’Neill (9-0) at UFC 286.
After suffering back-to-back losses, Maia battled hard to a unanimous decision win against Maryna Moroz at UFC Vegas 65. With Maia being a former flyweight championship challenger, it’s up to her to prove that she’s still capable of more in the octagon.
However, taking on O’Neill won’t be easy. “King Casey” has won four straight fights since joining the UFC, most recently overcoming Roxanne Modafferi by split decision at UFC 271. O’Neill is quickly rising up the rankings, meaning a win here could put her one step closer to challenging for gold.
Middleweight: Marvin Vettori (-295) vs. Roman Dolidze (+220)
Marvin Vettori (18-6-2) aims to get back on track when he takes on Roman Dolidze (12-1) in London. Vettori has tasted defeated in two of his last three outings, which includes failing to capture the UFC Middleweight Championship. He suffered a unanimous loss to Robert Whittaker in his last fight in September, leaving time to tell where he goes from here.
Meanwhile, Dolidze has been victorious in four straight fights. What’s even more impressive is that he’s won his last three by KO/TKO, earning ‘performer of the night’ honors in each bout. With wins over the likes of Jack Hermansson, Phil Hawes and Kyle Daukaus, Dolidze won’t go down easily.
UFC 286 Preliminary Card
Featherweight: Jack Shore (-590) vs. Makwan Amirkhani (+390)
Jack Shore (16-1) is the clear-cut favorite over Makwan Amirkhani (17-8) in their featherweight collision at UFC 286.
After beginning his MMA career with 16 straight wins, Shore finally tasted defeat in his submission loss to Ricky Simon at UFC Long Island. Needless to say, he’ll be out for revenge. Fortunately for Shore, Amirkhani is looking vulnerable, having lost four of his last five outings — including two losses by KO/TKO.
Lightweight: Chris Duncan (-108) vs. Omar Morales (-118)
The lightweight matchup between Chris Duncan (9-1) and Omar Morales (11-3) is shaping up to be an evenly matched contest.
Keeping that in mind, both fighters are heading in opposite directions. While Duncan has recorded back-to-back victories ahead of his UFC PPV debut, Morales was knocked out by Uros Medic in his last fight, marking the third defeat in his last four tries.
Lightweight: Sam Patterson (-320) vs. Yanal Ashmoz (+235)
Hometown hero Sam Patterson (10-1-1) looks to prove that he is “The Future” when he faces Yanal Ashmoz (6-0) at UFC 286.
Patterson impressed with a submission win against Vinicius Sacchelli Cenci on Dana White’s Contender Series 2022, giving the 26-year-old the ninth finish of his young career. On the flip side, Ashmoz is off to a 6-0 start to his MMA tenure, however, he’s yet to get a taste of UFC action until this PPV.
Flyweight: Muhammad Mokaev (-900) vs. Jafel Filho (+520)
Muhammad Mokaev (9-0, 1NC) is the massive favorite in his flyweight fight with Jafel Filho (14-2) on Saturday.
Mokaev picked up his third submission win over his last four fights with a victory against Malcolm Gordon at UFC 280. Meanwhile, Filho is on a five-fight winning streak after TKO’ing Robert Echeverria. It was also the fifth straight opponent that Filho has finished.
UFC 286 Early Prelims Card
Featherweight: Lerone Murphy (TBD) vs. Gabriel Santos (TBD)
The UFC 286 early prelims card also has some fights you won’t want to miss, including a featherweight showdown between Lerone Murphy (11-0-1) and Gabriel Santos (10-0).
Murphy heads into London having won his last three fights, which includes a second-round KO win over Makwan Amirkhani. Winning won’t be easy as Santos isn’t a pushover. The Brazilian battler has yet to be defeated in his first 10 MMA fights, having finished off seven of his previous opponents.
Middleweight: Christian Leroy Duncan (-215) vs. Dusko Todorovic (+164)
Christian Leroy Duncan (7-0) looks to make England proud as he takes on Dusko Todorovic (12-3).
Leroy Duncan made a name for himself in Cage Warriors, knocking out five of the first seven opponents he’s faced in his career. At the same time, Todorovic has two TKO victories in his last three outings, which includes beating Jordan Wright in his latest outing.
Flyweight: Malcolm Gordon (+255) vs. Jake Hadley (-350)
Malcolm Gordon (14-6) hopes to find some success this weekend against Jake Hadley (9-1). After all, Gordon has been finished in three of his last five fights and can’t afford another loss.
Being victorious won’t be a breeze, though. Hadley will have the English support on his side. On top of that, he’s only lost once in his MMA career and is coming off a submission win over Carlos Candelario back in November.
Women’s Flyweight: Joanne Wood (-188) vs. Luana Carolina (+146)
The UFC 286 early prelims card also showcases Joanne Wood (15-8) attempting to break out of her losing streak against Luana Carolina (8-3).
Wood stumbles into the action on a three-fight losing streak, dropping her last two fights by first-round submission. On the other side, Carolina also hopes to rebound after Molly McCann’s spinning back elbow knocked her out at UFC Fight Night 204.
Lightweight: Jai Herbert (+136) vs. Ludovit Klein (-174)
Jai Herbert’s (12-4) UFC tenure hasn’t gotten off to the best start, but he did pick up a unanimous decision win against Kyle Nelson in his last fight. Standing in Herbert’s way of better results is Ludovit Klein (19-4), who has back-to-back decision victories over Devonte Smith and Mason Jones.
Women’s Flyweight: Juliana Miller (-460) vs. Veronica Macedo (+320)
Juliana Miller (3-1) looks to take advantage of Veronica Macedo’s (6-4-1) losing ways when they collide this weekend. Macedo has lost four of her last five fights, having not won in nearly four years. Meanwhile, momentum is on Miller’s side following a TKO win against Brogan Walker at UFC Vegas 59.
