Usman to defend UFC title against Masvidal in AD
Championship tripleheader kicks off the UFC’S run on Fight Island on July 11, as UFC 251 takes place at Yas Island.
Headlining this star-studded card is a battle for the welterweight crown as Kamaru Usman defends his title against Jorge Masvidal. Plus, it’s a rematch for the featherweight belt when Alexander Volkanovski faces the man he defeated for the title, Hawaiian superstar Max Holloway, and Petr Yan and Jose Aldo square off for the vacant bantamweight championship. Two former strawweight champions will also meet again, as Jessica Andrade takes on Rose Namajunas.
Champion Usman searches for his second consecutive successful title defense as he puts the welterweight strap on the line against BMF titleholder Masvidal in a blockbuster championship clash that now serves as Saturday night’s main event.
Last year was a breakout campaign for Usman, who claimed the title with a dominant win over Tyron Woodley in March and followed it up by finishing Colby Covington late in the fifth round of their clash at UFC 245. The Nigeria native has now won 15 consecutive fights, including all 10 of his appearances inside the Octagon, and continues to show new wrinkles and previously unexposed depth to his repertoire with each contest.
The bout against Covington was particularly illuminating as Usman showed his toughness, heart, and tenacity in the midst of his first real back-and-forth battle since arriving in the UFC. Locked in a close fight heading
Each believes they are the best fighter in the world. Each sees the other as an imposter masquerading as an elite competitor. Each has a genuine dislike for the other.
Saturday night might not settle all their differences, but it will determine who will lead the way for the welterweight division in the second half of 2020 and beyond.
Last December, right before Usman squared off with Covington and retained his welterweight title, Alexander Volkanovski walked into the Octagon and ended Max Holloway’s reign atop the featherweight division.
This weekend, right before Usman squares off with Burns, Volkanovski will walk into the Octagon aiming to maintain his place atop the 145-pound weight class as former champion Holloway looks to return the favor.
Meanwhile, the first non-title fight on the main card just so happens to be a rematch of a championship fight from last spring, one that saw Jessica Andrade end Rose Namajunas’ reign atop the strawweight division. After initially being slated to happen earlier this year, the highly-ranked women will finally run it back this weekend.
Andrade has competed just once since her first encounter with Namajunas and it lasted all of 42 seconds as she was bum-rushed by Zhang Weili the instant their championship clash began last August in Shenzhen, China. Just 112 days after experiencing the highest of professional highs, the Brazilian with big power was dealing with a whirlwind loss that had to have left her head spinning.