UFC 286 LIVE: Edwards vs Usman result and reaction

Duncan vs Morales – Round 1

Duncan catches Morales on the end of a right cross, which the crowd enjoys. Now Morales returns the favour, however, and Duncan retreats.

Duncan lands a body kick, and Morales tries to roll with it, continuing into a spinning back fist – but he misses.

Duncan is narrowly wide of the mark with a winging right overhand. Morales is staying alert; he pumps out a piston jab to the head.

Another narrow miss for Duncan, this time with a left hook, and he’s made to pay for it! He’s tagged with a punch and drops to his knees, but he fights back to seemingly drop Morales!

Morales claims it was a slip! The pair end the round grappling against the cage wall.

Morales then motions to the crowd to make some noise.

Duncan vs Morales – Round 1

“Scotland” is the chant now, as Duncan starts on the front foot. His right ankle is bandaged, and he swings it towards Morales but misses.

The lightweights now trade simultaneous leg kicks. Morales then catches a body-kick attempt and drives back Duncan, but the Scot is able to wriggle free and stand.

Lots of support for Duncan, whose name echoes around the O2 Arena as fans chant for the Scot.

Speaking of Veronica Hardy, her husband Dan Hardy was in her corner tonight, and he’ll be familar to many MMA fans.

The former UFC commentator and welterweight title challenger joined the PFL this week, starting a role as the promotion’s director of operations in Europe.

He spoke to The Independent about the job:

Morales is the second Venezuelan to compete at UFC 286 tonight, with Veronica Hardy having emerged victorious in the first bout of the evening.

Next up is Chris Duncan vs Omar Morales at lightweight.

Scotland’s Chris Duncan is not to be confused with Christian Leroy Duncan, who fought earlier tonight!

Watch the moment the lights went out at the O2:

Doctors are still checking on Patterson, whose nose is badly bloodied, but the Englishman is cognisant enough to hug his opponent before they exit the ring.

Ashmoz sent Patterson tumbling with the overhand right, but he also caught the Englishman with a left hook as Patterson was on his way down. That second punch did most of the damage.

Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman both made championship weight at yesterday’s weigh-ins, coming in at 170lbs, but there was a surprise back-up fighter, too...

Usman’s old rival Colby Covington, a former interim welterweight champion, also tipped the scales at 170lbs.

The American, 35, failed to dethrone Usman twice during the Nigerian-American’s title reign – once in 2019 and once in 2021.

But fans are theorising that Covington could be next in line for the winner of tonight’s main event, after “Chaos” was a surprise participant in yesterday’s weigh-ins...