UFC261 Usman vs Masvidal 2: It’s not over yet as ‘Street Jesus’ looks for redemption

THE UFC is back in front of a capacity crowd for the first time in nearly 14 months on Saturday night boasting a title triple header with global appeal featuring three undisputed champions against two former belt holders and one crowned BMF!

Nigerian-American Kamaru Usman makes the fourth defence of his welterweight title against Miami’s Jorge Masvidal in a fan-pleasing rematch of their last-minute matchup thrown together last summer.

Plus, Chinese strawweight queen, Zhang Weili, takes on #1 contender and Milwaukee’s former champion Rose Namajunas, after Kyrgyzstan-Peruvian Valentina Shevchenko puts her flyweight crown on the line against Brazil’s former 115lb champ Jessica Andrade.

Usman v Masvidal 2 Zhang v Namajunas Shevchenko v Andrade

Six Warriors. Three title fights. One night.

Bring it on!#UFC261 | April 24 | BT Sport 1 HD pic.twitter.com/9D7xHYXJGw

— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) April 19, 2021

In the main event, Masvidal gets a second crack at the 170lb belt he contested back in July at just five days notice. One of the most popular fighters on the UFC roster, ‘Gamebread’ started prizefighting in Miami’s backyards and boatyards, but enjoyed the best year of his double decade fighting life in 2019.

Starting in London with his up-off-the canvas KO of Darren Till, followed by the viral five-second flying knee knockout of Ben Askren, and topped by the bloody TKO of Nate Diaz to capture the celebratory BMF belt, ‘Street Jesus’ went from cult hero to PPV superstar.

And even though Usman had little difficulty out-grappling Masvidal at UFC 251 – the 33-year-old champion cruising to a unanimous decision – the challenger remains the biggest draw in this 170lb division, hence the rematch.

Usman’s former teammate, Gilbert Burns, who Masvidal replaced due to a positive Covid test from one of his coaches, finally got his title chance in February. But his resolve lasted less than three rounds as Usman benched his wrestling in favour of a glittering advertisement for his advancing boxing skills.

It’s unlikely he’ll stand and trade as readily with Masvidal, however, a natural fighter who loves it when thew leather starts flying. But Usman did shoulder a lot of criticism for his grappling-heavy dominance last summer and should be eager to silence his critics by going one better.

Shevchenko too will be aiming for a statement finish in her fifth title defence. Former strawweight champ Andrade looked great up at flyweight for the first-time stopping Katlyn Chookagian inside the first round in October, but the champion is on a completely different level to the rest of the girls at 125lb.

The pick of the title fight triple is the 115lb championship fight between Weili and Namajunas. The champion came through a war of attrition last March in the UFC’s ‘Fight of the Year’ for 2020 against Joanna Jedrzejczyk. But she’s been inactive since and that could come at a price.

Namajunas after all had little problem defeating the same Pole, stopping and then outclassing Jedrzejczyk, in back-to-back wins during her reign as champion in 2017-18. Power and pressure vs. skill and efficiency, this fight is likely to swing both ways before it goes to the judges.

TIPS:

• Usman TKO rounds 4 (16/1) or 5 (18/1)
• Namajunas points (15/4)
• Shevchenko submission rounds 2 (11/2) or 3 (15/2)