UFC 278 Start Time, Who Is Fighting Tonight On ESPN+ PPV

Skip to main contentSB NationSB Nation logoA Mixed Martial Arts CommunityMMA ManiaDecember 22, 2025MMA ManiaNotificationsNotifications

• The Feed
• UFC Live Stream
• UFC Results
• UFC / MMA Schedule
• Betting
  • Online Sports Betting
  • UFC Odds

Navigation Drawer

• Login / Sign Up

closeCloseSearch

• The Feed
• UFC Live Stream
• UFC Results
• UFC / MMA Schedule
• BettingExpand
  • Online Sports Betting
  • UFC Odds
• Shop
• Newsletters
• About
• Community Guidelines
• UFC On ESPN+
• All communities

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Youtube
• RSS

MMA ManiaUFC 278 start time, who is fighting tonight on ESPN+ PPV | Usman vs. Edwards 2NotificationsNotifications

• UFC 278

UFC 278 start time, who is fighting tonight on ESPN+ PPV | Usman vs. Edwards 2by Adam GuillenAug 20, 2022, 2:35 PM UTC

• Facebook
• Link

Part OfUFC 278 live stream updates, video highlights, fight results | Usman vs. Edwards 2see all updates Adam Guillen has been writing (and translating) for MMAmania.com since 2011, covering the latest UFC, Bellator, PFL and other mixed martial arts (MMA) news and latest happenings throughout the combat sports world.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to the pay-per-view (PPV) business later TONIGHT (Sat., Aug. 20, 2022) from inside Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Headlining the event will be a Welterweight title fight between division kingpin, Kamaru Usman, taking on Leon Edwards. In the co-main event, Luke Rockhold will battle Paulo Costa, while Jose Aldo and Merab Dvalishvili collide in a Bantamweight affair one fight prior.

How To Watch/Stream UFC 278

Start Time (United States)

• ESPN+ PPV main card: 10p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT start on ESPN+ (order it here).
• “Prelims” undercard (late): 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT start, streaming online via ESPN+ and simulcast on ABC and ESPN in the United States.
• “Prelims” undercard (early): 6:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT start, streaming online via ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass.

UFC 278 CHEAT SHEET

What UFC event is on tonight? UFC 278: “Usman vs. Edwards 2”

Who is fighting tonight at UFC 278? Kamaru Usman vs Leon Edwards Welterweight title fight is the five-round main event.

What time does UFC 278 start? TONIGHT (Sat., Aug. 20, 2022), beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

Where will UFC 278 take place? Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah.

How can I watch UFC 278? ESPN+/ESPN “Prelims” matches online are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ABC/ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.

Where Can I Bet On UFC 278? DraftKings Sportsbook

Where can I get UFC 278 updates and results? Get full UFC 278 play-by-play updates and live coverage here!

What’s Hot:

In the absence of Jon Jones, Usman has managed to take over the No. 1 spot on the pound-for-pound list thanks to his dominance over the division. And rightfully so, Usman has yet to taste defeat inside the Octagon, winning all 15 of his fights with the promotion so far, extending his win streak to 19 straight. One of those wins came over Edwards, the man he is set to face tonight in Salt Lake City. The two men initially threw down in 2015 in what was Usman’s second fight inside the Octagon and Edwards’ fourth. Since that loss, however, Edwards has yet to experience defeat, winning nine straight and one fight being ruled “No Contest” after an eye poke put a halt to his fight against Belal Muhammad. For Edwards, it seems his road to the title fight was a rather long and arduous one, taking him more than seven years to finally get to the big dance. Now that he’s here, he is out to make the most of it.

Related

• Up Next! Usman Rematches Edwards In Salt Lake City!
• Cleanest KO In UFC History?
• Fighter On Fighter! Breaking Down ‘Nigerian Nightmare!’

When it comes to the fight itself, they are somewhat evenly matched on the feet, but when it comes to the wrestling department, Usman has “Rocky” covered. If it goes to the mat, “The Nigerian Nightmare” could very well cruise his way to a unanimous decision victory. But, as he has shown in past fights, he prefers to stand-and-bang to show off his ever-improving striking. And he’s done well against some of the best, including Jorge Masvidal (twice), Colby Covington (twice) Gilbert Burns, and Tyron Woodley. Edwards isn’t exactly known for his knockout power — he has two technical (knockout) wins inside the Octagon — but he does have crisp and tight boxing that helps him get to the winner’s circle. So, if he wants a shot at winning the belt and getting revenge on Usman, he has to keep the fight standing, it really is his only chance. And it’s not a great one, at that, because Usman has improved in that department in each fight.

Related

• Boxing With Canelo? No Way! ‘Usman Is Deluded!’
• UFC 278 The ‘Perfect Time’ To Dethrone Usman: ‘His Body Is Breaking Down’
• Fighter On Fighter! Breaking Down ‘Rocky!’

What’s Not:

A late line up change promoted Wu Yanan and Lucie Pudilova to the PPV main card. It was a surprising move to say the least since it meant that the big man showdown between Marcin Tybura and Alexandr Romanov was sent down to the “Prelims.” Plus, it’s not like Wu has been setting the combat world on fire. On the contrary, she has lost three straight and is 1-4 inside the Octagon. As for Pudilova, she is 5-1 in her last six fights, though they have taken place outside of UFC. In her most recent run, she went 0-4 with the promotion.

Related

• Watch ‘Countdown To UFC 278’
• Fans Blow A Gasket Over UFC 278 Lineup Change

Original Card Vs. Actual Card:

Shanna Young was in line to face Miranda Maverick in a women’s Flyweight fight this evening before she was hospitalized the day before weigh ins because of weight-cutting complications.

LIVE! Watch UFC Vegas 112 On ESPN+ Here!

VEGAS VELOCITY! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to action on Sat., Dec. 13, 2025, with its final event of the ESPN+ era, UFC Vegas 112, which will take place inside UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. In UFC Vegas 112’s main event, Flyweight contenders Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape clash in a high-stakes, five-round bout. The co-main event features a high-octane Featherweight showdown between Giga Chikadze vs. Kevin Vallejos, with potential title implications on the line. The card will also showcase a Middleweight showdown pitting Cesar Almeida vs. Cezary Oleksiejczuk, a Featherweight collision featuring Melquizael Costa vs. Morgan Charriere, and much more! The start time is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (“Prelims” undercard) and 10 p.m. ET (main card).

Read MoreSTREAM UFC Vegas 112

Injuries:

Jake Hadley was forced out of his scheduled bout against Victor Altamirano with an undisclosed injury. He was replaced by Daniel Lacerda, who has yet to win inside the Octagon in two attempts.

u003ca href=u0022http://go.web.plus.espn.com/c/482924/595608/9070?sharedid=MMAManiau0022u003eu003cstrongu003eWatch UFC 278 On ESPN+ Here!u003c/strongu003eu003c/au003e

UFC returns to the “Beehive State” on Aug. 20 for an action-packed championship fight card featuring the long overdue welterweight rematch between 170-pound champion u003cstrongu003eKamaru Usmanu003c/strongu003e and top division contender u003cstrongu003eLeon Edwardsu003c/strongu003e. Don’t miss a single second of face-punching action — u003cstrongu003eCLICK HERE!u003c/strongu003e

u003cstrongu003eSTREAM LIVE RIGHT HERE!u003c/strongu003e

New Blood:

No newcomers at this event.

Related

• Preview! ‘Rocky’s’ Revenge?
• How To Watch UFC 278 TONIGHT On ESPN+ PPV!

How The ‘Prelims’ Look:

In the Heavyweight division, Marcin Tybura will take on Alexandr Romanov. Tybura, ranked No. 11, is coming off a loss to Alexander Volkov at UFC 267, which snapped his five-fight win streak. It was a tough blow for Tyubra, who seemed to be on the cusp of breaking into the Top 10. He will have a tall task if he wants to get back into the win column because he will take on an undefeated monster who is perfect (16-0, 5-0) inside the Octagon

Qileng Aori finally broke through and won his first UFC fight when he defeated Cameron Else earlier this year. Prior to that, he had lost his two fights with the promotion, putting him on thin ice. Now that he has a new lease on his combat life, he hopes to make it two straight when he battles Jay Perrin, who suffered a loss in his UFC debut against Mario Bautista a few months back.

Related

• Predictions! UFC 278 ‘Prelims’ Preview - Pt. 1
• Predictions! UFC 278 ‘Prelims’ Preview - Pt. 2

Winner of three straight — two inside the Octagon — Amir Albazi has impressed thus far during his short stint with the promotion. He has a tough test against Francisco Figueiredo, who is 2-1 inside the Octagon and is hoping to gain some more momentum to one day reach the levels his brother — Deiveson Figueiredo — has been able to.

In a fun Welterweight collision, A.J. Fletcher will look to get back in the win column after he suffered the first loss of his mixed martial arts (MMA) career in his UFC debut against Matthew Semelsberger. The hulking 170-pounder will take on Ange Loosa, who also came up short in his UFC debut against Mounir Lazzez. Both need a win in the worse way if they want to stay with the promotion.

Also, Jared Gordon will battle Leonardo Santos — loser of two straight in the Lightweight division — while Gordon will attempt to earn a trip back to the winner’s circle after he suffered a loss at the hands of Grant Dawson three months ago.

Related

• No Joke! ‘MMA Made My Life Worse’
• UFC 278 Staredowns!!!

Who Needs A Win Badly:

Rockhold will make his long-awaited return to action to face off against Costa. Rockhold hasn’t competed since July 2019 at UFC 239, where he was knocked out by former Light Heavyweight champion, Jan Blachowicz, in his lone fight at 205 pounds. Now that he’s back at 185 pounds, the former division champion is out to score his first victory in more than five years. He is currently riding a two-fight losing streak and is just 1-3 since 2016. He has a very hard fight in front of him against Costa, who is also riding a two-fight skid into the fight after losing to Israel Adesanya and Marvin Vettori. Both men need wins here to prevent falling further down the pecking order, but if Rockhold loses his third straight, we might see him take another lengthy hiatus ... if not for good. This is a great match up for both men that could serve as a catalyst for the winner moving forward in the stacked Middleweight division. Rockhold has been letting out all of his frustrations toward UFC this week, which apparently didn’t sit well with the promotion. If Rockhold doesn’t get the win, he could be on his way out, which could be what he wants.

Related

• Panic At The Presser!
• UFC Snubs Rockhold After Media Day Rant
• Costa Before u0026amp; After ‘Chubby’ Phase

Interest Level: 8/10

Since losing to Petr Yan at UFC 251, Jose Aldo has been on a tear, winning three straight fights over Marlon Vera, Pedro Munhoz and Rob Font. His run has been good enough to earn him the No. 3 spot in the Bantamweight division. One more win could very well set him up for a shot at the title. But, he has a very stiff test in front of him because Merab Dvalishvilli, ranked No. 6, hasn’t lost in four years. He is currently on a seven-fight win streak so he has a ton of momentum behind him. Aldo loves to stand and bang, but Dvalsivhili isn’t afraid of a dog fight and can hang with the best of them on the feet. He is also a great Sambo technician, which means if he gets up close and personal with Aldo, it won’t end well for the living legend. This is a big chance for both men to prove they are deserving of a championship fight. For Aldo, it could very well be his last chance to earn a title fight, as well as make Drake a bit more richer.

Related

• UFC 278 Clash: Aldo Vs. Dvalishvili!
• UFC 278 Odds, Under Dogs And Best Bets!
• Aldo Confident Merab Doesn’t Score A Takedown

In the Light Heavyweight division, Tyson Pedro will attempt to win his first back-to-back fights since 2017 when he battles Harry Hunsucker, who is in desperate need of a win since he has gone 0-2 in his first two fights with the promotion.

Overall, we have a good night of fights. The rematch should be fire and if Edwards can bring it again like he did in the first fight against “The Nigerian Nightmare,” we could have an upset to look forward to. That said, Usman has been firing on all cylinders so the man who beats him will have to be perfect.

Plus, we get to see if a “scared” Rockhold has made the necessary adjustments to get his MMA career back on track. He’s been talking a good game all week, now he has to back it all up against a dangerous Middleweight who is looking for some redemption of his own after dropping his last two fights. Costa needs a good showing here because one more loss will send him tumbling down the rankings, though it’s safe to say he won’t get cut.

Enjoy the fights!

Related

• Costa Erupts After USADA Draws Dehydrated Blood
• Rogan Returns For UFC 278
• Rockhold Unleashes F-Bomb-Filled UFC Rant Before Comeback Fight

Full UFC 278 Fight Card:

UFC 278 PPV Main Event On ESPN+ PPV:

170 lbs.: UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards

UFC 278 PPV Main Card On ESPN+ PPV:

185 lbs.: Paulo Costa vs. Luke Rockhold135 lbs.: Jose Aldo vs. Merab Dvalishvili135 lbs.: Wu Yanan vs. Lucie Pudilova205 lbs.: Tyson Pedro vs. Harry Hunsucker

UFC 278 ABC/ESPN/ESPN+ ‘Prelims’ Under Card:

265 lbs.: Marcin Tybura vs. Alexandr Romanov155 lbs.: Leonardo Santos vs. Jared Gordon145 lbs.: Luis Saldana vs. Sean Woodson125 lbs.: Miranda Maverick vs. Shanna Young — CANCELED (full details here)

UFC 278 Fight Pass/ESPN/ESPN+ ‘Prelims’ Under Card:

170 lbs.: A.J. Fletcher vs. Ange Loosa125 lbs.: Amir Albazi vs. Francisco Figueiredo135 lbs.: Aori Qileng vs. Jay Perrin125 lbs.: Victor Altamirano vs. Daniel Da Silva

*Fight card, bout order and number of fights remain subject to change.*

Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 278 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ABC/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 278: “Usman vs. Edwards 2” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

See More:

• Latest UFC/MMA News
• UFC 278
• UFC News
• UFC on ESPN+ Fight Night
• UFC Previews
• UFC Programming

More in: UFC 278 live stream updates, video highlights, fight results | Usman vs. Edwards 2

Mar 14, 2023‘He Forgot I Was Taking His Soul’By Jesse HollandJan 13, 2023Edwards Debunks Usman Injury: ‘Fight’s On’By Jesse HollandNov 28, 2022‘You Lost, You Don’t Get The Rematch’By Jesse Holland

MMA Mania

A daily roundup of mixed martial arts news

Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Advertiser Content From

This is the title for the native ad

More in UFC 278

Mar 14, 2023‘He Forgot I Was Taking His Soul’Mar 14, 2023UFC 278 Stream: Results, Recaps, Videos And More!Mar 13, 2023Rocky: Aging, Post-KO Usman Will FailJan 13, 2023Edwards Debunks Usman Injury: ‘Fight’s On’Nov 28, 2022‘You Lost, You Don’t Get The Rematch’Nov 4, 2022Rogan Saves Village Idiot From ‘Rocky’ BeatdownUFC NewsMar 14, 2023UFC NewsMar 14, 2023‘He Forgot I Was Taking His Soul’

Kamaru Usman has a reminder for Leon Edwards about how their second fight played out ahead of their welterweight trilogy at UFC 286 PPV on March 18 at The O2 in London.

By Jesse HollandUFC 278Mar 14, 2023UFC 278Mar 14, 2023UFC 278 Stream: Results, Recaps, Videos And More!

UFC 278 results live stream: Full coverage, real-time play-by-play updates for “Usman vs. Edwards 2”-led pay-per-view (PPV) event online tonight (Sat., Aug. 20, 2022) inside Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah, with “Prelims” undercard real-time streaming online updates from ESPN+/Fight Pass and ABC/ESPN.

By Thomas MyersUFC 278Mar 13, 2023UFC 278Mar 13, 2023Rocky: Aging, Post-KO Usman Will Fail

Leon Edwards predicts a second victory over Kamaru Usman when they complete their trilogy in the UFC 286 PPV main event on March 18 at The O2 in London.

By Jesse HollandUFC 286Jan 13, 2023UFC 286Jan 13, 2023Edwards Debunks Usman Injury: ‘Fight’s On’

Leon Edwards debunks Kamaru Usman injury report and claims “fight’s on” for the UFC 286 pay-per-view (PPV) welterweight main event on Sat., March 18, 2023, at The O2 Arena in London, England.

By Jesse HollandUFC NewsNov 28, 2022UFC NewsNov 28, 2022‘You Lost, You Don’t Get The Rematch’

Top ranked welterweight contender Belal Muhammad has a problem with Kamaru Usman getting an immediate rematch against Leon Edwards and wants UFC to follow the rules of a “real sport” and put “The Nigerian Nightmare” at the back of the 170-pound line.

By Jesse HollandUFC VideosNov 4, 2022UFC VideosNov 4, 2022Rogan Saves Village Idiot From ‘Rocky’ Beatdown

UFC color commentator and standup comedian Joe Rogan saved a random trash talker from getting his butt whooped by reigning UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards.

By Jesse HollandAdvertiser Content From

This is the title for the native ad

The Latest

1:30 AM UTC‘Jessy Jess’ Headlines DBX 5 On Jan. 30Dec 21Uncle Sam & John Bull KO Joshua For $66 MillionDec 21Highlights! Former UFC Fighter Scores Vicious Comeback KnockoutDec 21Arlovski On Doherty Brawl: ‘I Just Stopped The Threat’Dec 21‘John Pork’ Nickname ‘Actually Great’ For Zaynukov’s CareerDec 21Toasted Till Teetered Out Of Tate Fight: ‘It Disrespects Everything I Believe In’CommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...