The UFC will take one other large step towards normalcy this weekend, with a UFC 261 pay-per-view occasion in Jacksonville, Florida, in entrance of a full capability crowd.
It is fairly fascinating this landmark occasion will function a welterweight title battle important occasion between Kamaru Usman (18-1) and Jorge Masvidal. (35-14). That is the very same matchup that headlined one other landmark second final July — when the UFC made its debut within the now-famous Struggle Island over in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Why did the UFC return to this matchup to function headliner in such a serious spot? Particularly as a result of the primary assembly was very one-sided in Usman’s favor?
The reply lies in Usman’s report. He has already overwhelmed the UFC’s official No. 1-ranked contender in Colby Covington. He has overwhelmed the No. 2-ranked Gilbert Burns, in addition to the No. Three-ranked Leon Edwards. And oh, would you take a look at that, there’s Masvidal at No. four, whom he has clearly taken out as nicely.
If you’re as dominant as Usman has been — 13 consecutive wins — you get a robust say within the course of your profession. Usman in all probability may have chosen any of those 4 to battle subsequent, and he particularly requested Masvidal.
How come?
Some, together with Masvidal, would say it is for the cash. This matchup presents Usman the very best upside in a PPV break up, as a result of Masvidal is the preferred man within the division. The champ hasn’t denied that was an element, however he has additionally stated his win over Masvidal is the one one towards these high contenders that does not sit nicely with him.
“Truthfully, I do not suppose I broke him, the way in which I needed to interrupt him,” Usman advised ESPN. “If you’re in there with that opponent, there’s such an intimate second the place solely you and that man know what is going on on. Solely you and that man know the way onerous he hits you. Solely you and that man know the way onerous I am going at house. And with Masvidal, I do not suppose I totally broke him the way in which I needed to. With everybody else, I do know after I broke them.”
It is a story of two wildly totally different views on the identical July battle. Usman wasn’t joyful as a result of he believes he can end Masvidal, whereas Masvidal believes he felt all the pieces Usman needed to supply and can’t lose to the person if he is given a full camp to arrange. Masvidal took the first matchup on six days’ notice, as a consequence of a late withdrawal by Burns.
Who’s appropriate? That is the fantastic thing about the battle sport. We’ll discover out. However both means, the actual fact the UFC is revisiting this matchup once more, in a premier spot, should not shock us. There’s good motive to consider, even when the result’s one other win for Usman, it would look utterly totally different.
Along with the principle occasion, Zhang Weili will return for the primary time since her 2020 Struggle of the Yr candidate towards Joanna Jedrzejczyk to defend her strawweight title towards former champ Rose Namajunas, who additionally has a historical past of delivering on large nights. And Valentina Shevchenko, probably the most dominant ladies in MMA, will defend her flyweight title towards ex-strawweight champ Jessica Andrade.
Welterweight championship:
Kamaru Usman (c) vs. Jorge Masvidal 2
By the numbers
15,000+: Followers are again at UFC 261 with greater than 15,000 followers anticipated to be in attendance.
13: Usman’s present win streak, which is tied for the second-longest streak ever
50: Variety of skilled fights for Masvidal, as of Saturday night time. It is going to even be Masvidal’s 20th UFC battle
47: Takedowns for Usman, third-most amongst lively welterweights
5: Takedowns for Usman towards Masvidal of their earlier battle
Sources: ESPN Stats & Info and UFC Stats
5 vs. 5
Kamaru Usman’s most up-to-date outcomes
Win: Gilbert Burns (TKO3, Feb. 13, 2021; watch on ESPN+)
Win: Jorge Masvidal (UD, July 12, 2020; watch on ESPN+)
Win: Colby Covington (TKO5, Dec. 14, 2019; watch on ESPN+)
Win: Tyron Woodley (UD, March 2, 2019; watch on ESPN+)
Win: Rafael Dos Anjos (UD, Nov. 30, 2018)
Jorge Masvidal’s most up-to-date outcomes
Loss: Kamaru Usman (UD, July 12, 2020; watch on ESPN+)
Win: Nate Diaz (TKO3, Nov. 2, 2019; watch on ESPN+)
Win: Ben Askren (KO1, July 6, 2019; watch on ESPN+)
Win: Darren Till (KO2, March 16, 2019; watch on ESPN+)
Loss: Stephen Thompson (UD, Nov. four, 2017)
A glance again: Usman beats Masvidal at UFC 251 however would not end him
Movie research: Gilbert Melendez on Jorge Masvidal
1:01
On Unlocking Victory, Gilbert Melendez discusses how Jorge Masvidal can keep away from being held towards the cage by Kamaru Usman.
And the winner is …
“I actually suppose it will go quite a bit like the primary time. I am a giant fan of how Usman is ready to give you the right sport plan for everybody he fights — he by no means fights the identical means twice. He is actually good at determining what his opponents’ weaknesses are. I feel that is really why it is actually dangerous for Masvidal, as a result of now Usman’s been in a position to put together for him.” — Angela Hill, UFC strawweight
More expert picks on Usman-Masvidal
Strawweight championship:
Zhang Weili (c) vs. Rose Namajunas
By the numbers
81: Share of Zhang’s fights during which she obtained a end, which incorporates 10 wins by knockout and 7 by submission
four: Strawweight finishes for Namajunas, tied for essentially the most in UFC division historical past
6.38: Zhang’s vital strikes per minute, the fourth-highest price in strawweight historical past
1: Namajunas hopes to develop into the primary girl to carry the identical title on a number of events.
5 vs. 5
Zhang Weili’s most up-to-date outcomes
Win: Joanna Jedrzejczyk (SD, March 7, 2020; watch on ESPN+)
Win: Jessica Andrade (TKO1, Aug. 31, 2019; Watch on ESPN+)
Win: Tecia Torres (UD, March 2, 2019; Watch on ESPN+)
Win: Jessica Aguilar (SUB2, Nov. 24, 2018)
Win: Danielle Taylor (UD, Aug. four, 2018)
Rose Namajunas’ most up-to-date outcomes
Win: Jessica Andrade (SD, July 11, 2020; watch on ESPN+)
Loss: Jessica Andrade (KO2, Might 11, 2019)
Win: Joanna Jedrzejczyk (UD, April 7, 2018)
Win: Joanna Jedrzejczyk (TKO1, Nov. four, 2017)
Win: Michelle Waterson (SUB2, April 15, 2017)
Movie research: Gilbert Melendez on Zhang Weili
1:04
On Unlocking Victory, Gilbert Melendez breaks down Zhang Weili’s hanging and what makes her totally different.
And the winner is …
“I feel Weili will win, however Rose has a number of sturdy weapons. Rose has good energy for the load. She’s lengthy. She appears to be bettering on a regular basis, so it is sort of like, what Rose will we see? What has she improved? I’d put my cash on Weili, however Rose has the instruments to make this aggressive. Weili is as sport as they arrive, mentally sturdy, and can put the stress on her.” — Mike Brown, coach at American High Staff
More expert picks on Zhang-Namajunas
Girls’s flyweight championship:
Valentina Shevchenko (c) vs. Jessica Andrade
By the numbers
6: Flyweight wins for Shevchenko, tied for essentially the most in division historical past
1: Andrade is the one girl in MMA historical past to have a win in three divisions
15: Finishes for Andrade out of her 21 victories. Eight have come by knockout, seven by submission.
5: This would be the fifth title protection for Shevchenko.
5 vs. 5
Valentina Shevchenko’s most up-to-date outcomes
Win: Jennifer Maia (UD, Nov. 21, 2020; watch on ESPN+)
Win: Katlyn Chookagian (TKO3, Feb. eight, 2020; watch on ESPN+)
Win: Liz Carmouche (UD, Aug. 10, 2019; watch on ESPN+)
Win: Jessica Eye (KO2, June eight, 2019; watch on ESPN+)
Win: Joanna Jedrzejczyk (UD, Dec. eight, 2018; watch on ESPN+)
Jessica Andrade’s most up-to-date outcomes
Win: Katlyn Chookagian (KO1, Oct. 17, 2020; watch on ESPN+)
Loss: Rose Namajunas (SD, July 11, 2020; watch on ESPN+)
Loss: Zhang Weili (TKO1, Aug. 31, 2019; watch on ESPN+)
Win: Rose Namajunas (KO2, Might 11, 2019)
Win: Karolina Kowalkiewicz (KO1, Sept. eight, 2018)
Movie research: Dominick Cruz on Valentina Shevchenko
1:05
On Unlocking Victory, Dominick Cruz shows how Valentina Shevchenko can keep away from Jessica Andrade’s energy and stress.
And the winner is …
“Valentina is without doubt one of the most full fighters and truest martial artists within the sport. If you happen to needed to coin a martial artist, Valentina is so excessive on that listing. She leaves no stone unturned. I feel she’s going to be greater than ready for Andrade’s power and close-quarter combating. I feel Valentina will win wherever the battle goes, as a result of Valentina has proven she’s a terrific grappler, too. The best way Andrade beat Rose Namajunas, I do not see her doing that to Valentina.” — Sayif Saud, coach at Fortis MMA
More expert picks on Shevchenko-Andrade
Easy methods to watch the fights
Watch the PPV and all different fights on ESPN+. Get ESPN+ here.
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There’s additionally FightCenter, which presents reside updates for each UFC card.
Saturday’s battle card
ESPN+ PPV, 10 p.m. ET
Welterweight title battle: Kamaru Usman (c) vs. Jorge Masvidal
Strawweight title battle: Zhang Weili (c) vs. Rose Namajunas
Girls’s flyweight title battle: Valentina Shevchenko (c) vs. Jessica Andrade
Middleweight: Uriah Hall vs. Chris Weidman
Mild heavyweight: Anthony Smith vs. Jimmy Crute
ESPN/ESPN Deportes/ESPN+, eight p.m. ET
Welterweight: Alex Oliveira vs. Randy Brown
Welterweight: Dwight Grant vs. Stefan Sekulic
Middleweight: Karl Roberson vs. Brendan Allen
Males’s featherweight: Patrick Sabatini vs. Tristan Connelly
ESPN2/ESPN Deportes/ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET
Males’s bantamweight: Danaa Batgerel vs. Kevin Natividad
Light-weight: Kazula Vargas vs. Rong Zhu
Girls’s flyweight: Aori Qileng vs. Jeffrey Molina
Strawweight: Liang Na vs. Ariane Carnelossi
Three extra issues to know (from ESPN Stats & Info)
1. UFC 261 is the eighth battle card within the promotion’s historical past during which three title belts are on the road, and the fifth in which there’s a reigning champion in all three title bouts. Solely as soon as did all three championships change arms — at UFC 217 in November 2017. That night time in New York, Georges St-Pierre took the middleweight title away from Michael Bisping, TJ Dillashaw dethroned Cody Garbrandt at males’s bantamweight and Rose Namajunas gained the strawweight crown from Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
2. Earlier than the title fights, there will likely be a rematch greater than 10 years within the making, when middleweights Uriah Hall and former champ Chris Weidman meet once more. The 2 competed towards one another within the Ring of Fight group in September 2010, with Weidman profitable by first-round TKO. Corridor is using a three-fight profitable streak, whereas Weidman has misplaced 5 of his previous seven fights.
Three. The PPV opener is a lightweight heavyweight matchup between former title challenger Anthony Smith and the No. 1 fighter in ESPN’s rating of high fighters beneath age 25, Jimmy Crute. Smith is 2-Three in previous 5 fights however nonetheless represents a step up in competitors for Crute, whose previous three wins have come within the first spherical.