MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the UFC’s top bouts. Today, we look at the main event for UFC 278.

UFC 278 takes place Saturday at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 01: UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman is seen on stage during the UFC 276 ceremonial weigh-in at T-Mobile Arena on July 01, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Supplemental info: + UFC welterweight champion + NCAA Division-II national champ + 3x NCAA All-American + 9 KO victories + 1 submission win + 3 first-round finishes + Consistent pace and pressure + Good feints and footwork + Improved overall striking ^ Jabs, bodywork, etc. + Strong inside the clinch + Excellent takedown ability ^ In the open or against the fence + Superb top game and control ^ Rides and transitions intelligently +/- 2-0 in rematches +/- 6-0 against UFC-level southpaws

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 01: Leon Edwards is seen on the stage during the UFC 276 ceremonial weigh-in at T-Mobile Arena on July 01, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

+ BAMMA welterweight title + Amateur MMA accolades + 6 KO victories + 3 submission wins + 5 first-round finishes + KO power + Excellent footwork ^ Manages distance, moves laterally, etc. + Accurate shot selection ^ Coming forward and off the counter + Hard head and body kicks + Superb clinch game ^ Grip awareness, elbows off the break, etc. + Underrated wrestling ability ^ Solid defensive and offensive fundamentals + Good transitional grappler +/- 0-0 in rematches

Nov 6, 2021; New York, NY, USA; Kamaru Usman (red gloves) competes against Colby Covington (blue gloves) during UFC 268 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

The main event for UFC 278 features a rematch for the welterweight title between Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards.

Their first meeting took place back in 2015 when both men were still looking to make a name for themselves and develop their games. The first round was the most competitive of the three contested, as Usman appeared to have some initial discomfort when dealing with Edwards’ southpaw stance.

Usman eventually got a takedown on his third attempt, setting a tone for things to come. In the second round, Usman smartly gained some respect on the feet with his left hook, which, in turn, allowed for the takedowns to come easier and more often.

Since then, each fighter subsequently improved their stereotypical weaknesses while still rounding out their games as a whole. Usman, for example, has spent the last six-plus years training with some of the best striking coaches in MMA.

Although this will be the champion’s fifth training camp over at the ONX Labs with coach Trevor Wittman, Usman’s striking initially started under the care of Henri Hooft, a Dutch-style striking coach who emphasizes pressure, power, and fundamentals.

In said time, Hooft was able to help Usman’s power and presence blossom on the feet, throwing shots much smoother in transition and off of breaks. In addition, the Nigeria-born fighter also appeared to be a natural when it came to his footwork – something that his current coach is helping him further cultivate.

Whether he is feinting forward or shifting his stance in combination, Usman will persistently corral his opposition toward the cage, attacking them with impunity whenever they step near it. The 35-year-old champion is also smart about shifting away from his opponent’s power side when advancing, all while throwing corralling hooks that help him close space.

Usman has obviously been focusing a lot more on his jab and lead-hand work in recent fights, showing a sharp acumen from both stances. From offensively flowing off of his jab to using it in a checking manner, Usman is good about keeping his feet underneath him for maximum functionality.

Nevertheless, as efficient as this approach has been for Usman, he will still need to be careful when it comes to predictability and feinting if he wants to avoid any costly counters.

A slick, diverse striker who can counter or come forward with effect, Edwards’ pairing of speed and accuracy helps him cover a lot of ground in regards to gaining respect.

Working behind a deceptive jab that he often uses to check his opponents, Edwards keeps powerful left crosses and kicks at the ready, occasionally sprinkling in sneaky teeps and explosive knees to intercept oncoming level changes. The Englishman also doesn’t mind throwing a shot away in order to land another, as Edwards seems perfectly fine with making adjustments on the fly.

Whenever his opponents offer up straight shots down the center, Edwards has a knack for countering over the tops of their shoulders. And when they decide to hook hard or launch power from the rear, Edwards is quick to suffocate their efforts by initiating the clinch and applying his patent close-quarter-combat tactics.

Even though I see Edwards’ left elbow having some play in this fight, the distance he likes to launch it at will likely invite a very sticky customer.

Jun 12, 2021; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Leon Edwards pins Nate Diaz to the mat during UFC 263 at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

As we saw in their first fight, Usman prefers to get a lot of his wrestling done off the fence by corralling and clinching efforts. Once establishing his office in this space, the champ wastes little time in going to work with everything from foot stomps to crafty over-hooks that interweave into wrist controls (a la Jon Jones).

Wrestling at a Division II level for three years (where he was also a two-time national finalist), Usman has always shown the freakish ability to both finish and defend shots from sometimes surprising positions.

Coupled with his work ethic and determination, Usman was able to over-perform in a multitude of ways, especially considering that he didn’t even start wrestling until mid-way through high school.

After helping high-level fighters with their own wrestling, Usman ended up making the jump into mixed martial arts, where he has steadily built onto his imposing wrestling game and presence. Whether he is hitting takedowns in the open or chaining his attempts along the fence, Usman has, for the most part, been able to do what he wants to wrestling-wise inside of the octagon.

Freakish takedown ability aside, Usman also bears an impressive intelligence in transition that could help him in his matchup.

Demonstrating excellent positional awareness, Usman always seems to make high-percentage choices whether he is passing or punching. Using suffocating wrestling rides that stymie everything from posts to submission attempts, Usman will seamlessly hit his transitions while steaming his opposition underneath him.

However, Edwards is far from a pushover in the wrestling department, as the Englishman has made some sizeable upgrades to his game since he last fought Usman.

Initially identified as a striker when first stepping onto the UFC scene, Edwards put a sizable emphasis on his wrestling after losing a close split decision in his promotional debut. Since then, we have seen Edwards surprise better on-paper grapplers with suffocating clinches and well-timed trip takedowns that allow the Englishman to counter offensive efforts and win rounds in the process.

Leon Edwards threatens with an inside trip to draw a reaction from Gunnar Nelson that exposes his hips to a rear body lock trip angle (a la Kamaru Usman), which he then uses to secure a leg ride with a wrist feed for cross control. #UFCVegas21 pic.twitter.com/JZYqjYPn5H

— Dan Tom (@DanTomMMA) March 10, 2021

Edwards also likes looking for the back, but – as seen in the tweet above – is just as happy playing the role of a positional rider and grinding things out with crafty controls and other forms of attritional warfare.

Nevertheless, Usman also bears similar controls and positional flows that Edwards will need to be aware of should he find himself on the bottom. In Edwards’ defense, he has shown solid responses when he does have to work from negative positions on the mat.

The 11-year pro knows how to read a scramble in the heat of battle, as well as appropriately fight hands and use the fence to stand. Edwards is also very capable when it comes to guard retentions – I’m just not sure Usman is the kind of fighter to play that game with.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 01: UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards face off on stage during the UFC 276 ceremonial weigh-in at T-Mobile Arena on July 01, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

The oddsmakers and public are siding with the sitting champion, listing Usman -410 and Edwards +290 via Tipico Sportsbook.

Considering Usman’s dominance in this division, it’s hard to argue with any betting line that designates him as the favorite. That said, I hope that Usman and the rest of the world are respecting the chances of Edwards, who has all the skills to score an upset.

Edwards seems like a smart, tactical fighter that isn’t afraid to exploit an opening. If Edwards sees the shots that previous southpaws have had success with, then do not be shocked to him set up sneaky uppercuts or crushing liver kicks this Saturday.

But if Usman is able to successfully take the initiative on the feet early, then it could be a long night for the challenger.

Although Usman may have had some questionable moments in the latter rounds of his last fight, the champion generally comes on strong late, consistently showing an ability to dig deep. Edwards, on the other hand, appears to be subject to lulls in activity and concentration as fights run long, subsequently costing him late rounds against the likes of Donald Cerrone, Gunnar Nelson, and Nate Diaz (despite still beating said fighters).

Couple those trends with Usman’s durability and undeniable wrestling edge, and it’s ultimately difficult to make a case against him.

Edwards’ southpaw savvy and clinch skills will still likely stymie a good amount of Usman’s offense in victory or defeat, as I’ll officially pick the champ to outwork the challenger on the scorecards down the stretch – landing plenty of power shots along the way.

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Combat sports fans will be treated to an abundance of riches Saturday with plenty to watch. But what will we be talking about Monday?

The popular "Embedded" fight-week video series is here to document what's happening behind the scenes at UFC 278 in Salt Lake City.

Check out our staff members' picks for the UFC 278 main card, featuring Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards and Paulo Costa vs. Luke Rockhold.

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