UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards 2 Full Fight Card, Date & Details
UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards 2
United States
Main Card • Final
England
R5, 4:04
Title Fight
Performance of the Night
Nigeria
Brazil
R3, 5:00
Fight of the Night
Georgia
R3, 5:00
Czech Republic
R2, 4:04
China
Australia
R1, 1:05
Prelims • Final
Poland
R3, 5:00
Moldova
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
DR Congo
R3, 5:00
Early Prelims • Final
Iraq
R1, 4:34
R3, 5:00
Mexico
R1, 3:39
Performance of the Night
Official Event Results
$50k FOTN
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$50,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Fight of the Night: Paulo Costa and Luke Rockhold each earned $50,000 for their wild, bloody three-round middleweight co-main event war at altitude.
Performance of the Night: Leon Edwards captured $50,000 for his iconic, championship-winning fifth-round head-kick knockout of Kamaru Usman.
Performance of the Night: Victor Altamirano earned $50,000 for his ferocious first-round comeback TKO finish over Daniel Lacerda.
Crypto.com Fan Bonus of the Night: Fans voted Paulo Costa 1st place ($30,000 in Bitcoin), Kamaru Usman 2nd place ($20,000 in Bitcoin), and José Aldo 3rd place ($10,000 in Bitcoin).
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Disclosed Payouts
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | $350,000 | — | $50,000 | $400,000 | |
| LOSS | $500,000 | — | — | $500,000 | |
| WIN | $65,000 | $65,000 | $50,000 | $180,000 | |
| LOSS | $200,000 | — | $50,000 | $250,000 | |
| WIN | $99,000 | $99,000 | — | $198,000 | |
| LOSS | $400,000 | — | — | $400,000 | |
| WIN | $120,000 | $120,000 | — | $240,000 | |
| WIN | $47,000 | $47,000 | — | $94,000 | |
| WIN | $43,000 | $43,000 | — | $86,000 | |
| WIN | $24,000 | $24,000 | — | $48,000 | |
| LOSS | $44,000 | — | — | $44,000 | |
| LOSS | $36,000 | — | — | $36,000 | |
| WIN | $16,000 | $16,000 | — | $32,000 | |
| DRAW | $24,000 | — | — | $24,000 | |
| WIN | $12,000 | $12,000 | — | $24,000 | |
| WIN | $12,000 | $12,000 | — | $24,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | $50,000 | $70,000 | |
| LOSS | $20,000 | — | — | $20,000 | |
| DRAW | $14,000 | — | — | $14,000 | |
| LOSS | $14,000 | — | — | $14,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $12,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $12,000 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | — | $10,000 | |
| LOSS | $10,000 | — | — | $10,000 |
*Purses reported directly by the Utah Athletic Commission. Figures represent officially disclosed base purses and contractual win bonuses (totaling $2,542,000) and do not include discretionary locker-room bonuses, sponsorship payments, or pay-per-view points. Estimated totals include official post-fight performance bonuses ($50,000 each).
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records Established at UFC 278
Trailing 39-37 on all three judges’ scorecards with under a minute left, Leon Edwards connected with a picture-perfect head kick at 4:04 of Round 5 to complete one of the greatest title comebacks in MMA history.
Leon Edwards became only the second British fighter to capture an undisputed UFC championship, following Michael Bisping’s middleweight title triumph in 2016.
Kamaru Usman suffered his first career UFC defeat, ending his 15-fight promotional winning streak—the second-longest in company history behind Anderson Silva (16).
Edwards took Kamaru Usman down in the first round, becoming the first opponent to successfully take down Usman inside the Octagon after 15 consecutive fights of 100% takedown defense.
UFC 278 established a combat sports gate record for the state of Utah, generating $4,297,655 from 18,321 fans at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City.
Merab Dvalishvili attempted 16 takedowns and held cage control to earn a unanimous decision over former champion José Aldo, securing his eighth consecutive UFC bantamweight victory.
Former UFC and Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold concluded his illustrious career in a Fight of the Night slugfest with Paulo Costa, retiring inside the Octagon.
Tyson Pedro registered the quickest stoppage on the card, finishing Harry Hunsucker with a flush front body kick and ground punches in just 1 minute and 5 seconds of Round 1.
Marcin Tybura overcame a punishing first round to outwork Alexandr Romanov over the final ten minutes, handing the Moldovan prospect his first professional loss.
Competing at 4,226 feet above sea level, multiple bouts tested fighters’ aerobic thresholds, producing dramatic momentum swings across eight full-distance decisions.
A first-round point deduction against Luis Saldaña for an illegal knee resulted in a rare split draw decision against Sean Woodson (29–27, 27–29, 28–28).
The 12-bout card featured competitors representing 11 sovereign nations and territories: England, Nigeria, Brazil, United States, Georgia, Czech Republic, China, Australia, Poland, Moldova, and DR Congo.
When and where did UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards 2 take place?
UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards 2 took place on Saturday, August 20, 2022, at Vivint Arena (Delta Center) in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Who won the main event between Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards?
Leon Edwards defeated Kamaru Usman via knockout (head kick) at 4:04 of Round 5 to capture the undisputed UFC Welterweight Championship in one of the most stunning comebacks in sports history.
Were the judges’ scorecards in Usman’s favor before the knockout?
Yes. Kamaru Usman was leading 39–37 on all three judges’ scorecards entering the fifth round and was less than a minute away from a comfortable unanimous decision victory before Edwards landed the fight-ending head kick.
Did Leon Edwards break Kamaru Usman’s 100% takedown defense record?
Yes. In Round 1, Leon Edwards became the first fighter in UFC history to officially take Kamaru Usman down, ending Usman’s streak of defending every takedown across 15 prior Octagon appearances.
Who won the co-main event and did Luke Rockhold retire?
Paulo Costa defeated Luke Rockhold via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) in a bloody, exhausting co-main event that earned Fight of the Night. Immediately afterward, Rockhold announced his retirement from mixed martial arts inside the cage.
Who won the official $50,000 post-fight bonuses at UFC 278?
Four fighters received $50,000 bonuses: Paulo Costa vs. Luke Rockhold won Fight of the Night, while Leon Edwards and Victor Altamirano each earned Performance of the Night honors.
Who won the Crypto.com Fan Bonus of the Night?
Fan voting awarded Paulo Costa 1st place ($30,000 in Bitcoin), Kamaru Usman 2nd place ($20,000 in Bitcoin), and José Aldo 3rd place ($10,000 in Bitcoin).
Who won the bantamweight bout between Merab Dvalishvili and José Aldo?
Merab Dvalishvili defeated José Aldo via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 30–27), relying on relentless clinch pressure and 16 takedown attempts to neutralize the former featherweight king.
What was the attendance and live gate for UFC 278?
UFC 278 drew a sellout crowd of 18,321 spectators producing a live gate of $4,297,655, establishing an all-time combat sports gate record for the state of Utah.
Who were the commentators and cage announcer for UFC 278?
The pay-per-view broadcast was called by play-by-play lead Jon Anik alongside color analysts Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier, with Bruce Buffer introducing the combatants.
How fast was Tyson Pedro’s stoppage victory?
Australia’s Tyson Pedro stopped Harry Hunsucker in just 1 minute and 5 seconds of Round 1 via body kick and ground punches, recording the fastest finish of the night.
Who handed Alexandr Romanov his first professional defeat?
Veteran Polish heavyweight Marcin Tybura weathered an intense first round from Romanov to outwork him over the final 10 minutes, securing a majority decision (29–28, 29–28, 28–28).
Why did Sean Woodson vs. Luis Saldaña end in a split draw?
Saldaña was deducted one point by referee Mike Beltran in Round 1 for an illegal knee to a downed opponent. The penalty altered the scoring, resulting in a rare split draw (29–27, 27–29, 28–28).
What was the result of the first meeting between Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards?
In their initial matchup in December 2015 at UFC on Fox: dos Anjos vs. Cowboy 2, Kamaru Usman defeated Leon Edwards via unanimous decision (29–28, 30–27, 29–28).
Did Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards fight a trilogy bout?
Yes. The two met in their trilogy clash at UFC 286 in London on March 18, 2023, where Leon Edwards defeated Kamaru Usman via majority decision to successfully defend his title.
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