UFC London 2023/UFC 286 is set to be the most spectacular MMA event to take place in the UK in 2023, but who is competing on this mega card?
Leon Edwards will be defending his UFC Welterweight Championship in the main event against ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ Kamaru Usman in what is one of the most anticipated rematches of this decade.
With the card being shown on PPV in the United Kingdom as well as the United States, fans will be hoping that the rest of the undercard will also deliver, and we’ll be looking at who will be competing on the night across this article.
Here is everything you need to know about the UFC London 2023 Fight Card, including the Early Prelims, Prelims and Main Card.
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Who is fighting on the UFC 286 card?
The following bouts have been confirmed for the UFC London 2023 fight card (correct as of writing on Wednesday, March 8th 2023):
Early Prelims
- Juliana Miller vs Veronica Macedo – Women’s Flyweight bout
- Jai Herbert vs Ludovit Klein – Lightweight bout
- Jennifer Maia vs Casey O’Neill – Women’s Flyweight bout
- Jake Hadley vs Malcolm Gordon – Flyweight bout
- Christian Leroy Duncan vs Dusko Todorovic – Middleweight bout
- Muhammad Mokaev vs Jafel Filho – Flyweight bout
Prelims
- Sam Patterson vs Yanal Ashmoz – Lightweight bout
- Jack Shore vs Makwan Amirkhani – Featherweight bout
- Nathaniel Wood vs Lerone Murphy – Featherweight bout
Main Card
- Marvin Vettori vs Roman Dolidze – Middleweight bout
- Gunnar Nelson vs Bryan Barberena – Welterweight bout
- Joanne Wood vs Luana Carolina – Women’s Flyweight bout
- Justin Gaethje vs Rafael Fiziev – Lightweight bout
- Leon Edwards vs Kamaru Usman – UFC Welterweight Championship Main Event bout
What have the fighters been saying?
Leon Edwards
Speaking to GQ ahead of the massive rematch, Edwards revealed that his mentality hasn’t changed going from being the challenger to the champion:
“I wouldn’t say my mentality has changed massively: if anything, it’s twice as hard to keep the belt, right? My approach is focused on upping the training but also making sure I’m working smart. I have a good team behind me that’s putting me in the right direction. I try to keep my approach as simple as possible. I don’t overcomplicate it. At the end of the day, it’s still the same fight; it’s still the same opponent, it’s still five rounds – only now it’s back on home soil.”
Justin Gaethje
Justin Gaethje implied during an interview with The Schmo (via MMA News) that Edwards will need to rely on luck to keep his belt against the previously dominant Usman:
“I mean, he (Usman) whooped his (Edwards’) ass for 23 minutes and 45 seconds. So, he’s the better athlete, he’s the better fighter. Nobody works harder than him. Again, luck and chance are slight factors every time we step in there, but you’ve just gotta trust in the preparation. I guarantee that he will be confident in his preparation.”
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