UFC 286 confirmed for London on March 18 for first PPV card in SIX YEARS with Leon Edwards set to take on Kamaru Usman

THE UFC will return to London in March for their first pay-per-view card in close to a decade.

Mixed martial arts‘ premier promotion will touch down in The Big Smoke – where they staged two cards last year – on March 18 for UFC 286.

UFCThe UF will return to London on March 18 for UFC 286[/caption]

The card will once again take place at the O2 ArenaGETTY

The card is expected to be headlined by a trilogy fight between Leon Edwards and Kamaru UsmanGetty

The O2 Arena will once again play host to the card, which is expected to feature a slew of British talent.

President Dana White said: “Everyone knows how much I love our fans in the UK.

“We had two incredible shows in London in 2022, and this time we’re bringing a world title fight with the biggest and baddest card we could put together at The O2 on March 18.

“The UK MMA scene is exploding with talent right now and I can’t wait to show you guys what we have in store for you next year.”

No fights have been announced for the promotion’s yearly visit to the UK, although welterweight champion Leon Edwards’ trilogy fight with Kamaru Usman is set to headline the card.

Birmingham bruiser Edwards claimed the welterweight title in August with a stunning Hail Mary head kick KO of the former pound-for-pound king to become Britain’s second UFC champion.

During an appearance on The Chatting Pony podcast, White said: “It’s going to be Usman versus Edwards. I think it’s in March.”

A stadium show in Cardiff was a brief possibility but the promotion ultimately decided to return to the O2.

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White said: “Everybody was asking me about Cardiff, [but] it’s going to be London. We looked into and we’re not [going there].”

The UFC hasn’t staged a pay-per-view event in the UK in SIX YEARS due to the time difference in America.

Britain’s first UFC champion Michael Bisping headlined an overnight UFC 204 card in Manchester against bitter rival Dan Henderson which ended at 5:30am.

The UFC’s last two trips to the O2 were headlined by Wigan warrior and heavyweight prospect Tom Aspinall.

The Mega AgencyHeavyweight prospect Tom Aspinall headlined the UFC last two London cards[/caption]

The Team Kaobon standout blitzed perennial contender Alexander Volkov in the March show to put himself on the precipice of heavyweight title contention.

But he suffered a cruel knee injury 15 seconds into his July showdown with Curtis Blaydes.