UFC: Another Nigerian Nightmare in store for Masvidal?
Nigerian mixed martial arts star Kamaru Usman will go in search of a fourth successful defence of his welterweight world championship when he faces Jorge Masvidal in the main event of UFC 261, set for the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on the morning of Sunday 25 April 2021.
Usman (18-1) has already beaten Masvidal once, triumphing via unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 251 at ‘Fight Island’ in Abu Dhabi last year. The 33-year-old Nigerian has since also beaten Gilbert Burns, via third-round TKO, in February this year to rack up a 17th straight career win and underline his status as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
USMAN V MASVIDAL #UFC261
With his inactivity in the cage and just the pure power and greatness Usman is showing at the current time, I just cannot see Masvidal winning this one, especially because Usman made the walk only 10 weeks ago.
I take Kamaru Usman by UD🏆#UFC pic.twitter.com/KnxOvK8KHn
— Daniel Caddick (@caddickdaniel) April 22, 2021
‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ insists that he wants to claim a more emphatic win over Masvidal compared to their meeting last year, when the American stepped in at late notice and their main event was not quite the spectacle it could and should have been.
“Honestly, I don’t think I broke him the way that I wanted to break him,” Usman said. “There’s something that satisfies me when I fight guys and that’s the thing that I believe years ago Jon [Jones] spoke about this. When you’re in there with that opponent there’s an intimate moment where only you and that guy know what’s going on.
Video: Watch today's #UFC261 press conference, including Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal https://t.co/lrA4LJNdIv
— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) April 22, 2021
“Only you and that guy know how hard he hits you, only you and that guy know how hard I’m coming at him. And with Masvidal, I don’t think I fully broke him the way I wanted to. With everyone else, I know when I broke them. I know when I broke their spirit, I know when I broke their heart, but with him I don’t feel like I fully got there.
“That’s what I’m really after, that’s what’s addicting to me, that’s why I continue to do this. Being able to break the guy to where when they wake up in the morning and they have to think about me, they just know, ‘That guy is better than me.’”
The 36-year-old Masvidal (35-14) has not returned to the Octagon since that defeat to Usman, but is confident of a different outcome this time around: “When I win the rematch, we definitely will go for the trilogy because I will not go down in history 1-1 with this individual. It’s just not going to happen.”
He added, “What’s it going to feel like to win that belt? Everything. Everything I’ve put into this sport. I’m going to get the type of sleep I want at night when I have that belt, so, let’s go. Let’s find out.”
The Usman-Masvidal showdown is just one of three title matches at UFC 261, which will also see the return of fans to a venue in the United States for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic struck over a year ago.
Two women’s belts will be up for grabs, with former strawweight champion Rose Namajunas (9-4) looking to reclaim the title when she faces Zhang Weili (21-1), while Valentina Shevchenko (20-3) will defend her flyweight title against former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade (21-8).
Kamaru Usman is ready to silence Jorge Masvidal when they step into the ring this Sunday at #UFC261pic.twitter.com/YLCJQa8zjQ
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) April 21, 2021
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The main card of UFC 261 opens with a light heavyweight clash between Anthony Smith (34-16) and Jimmy Crute (12-1), followed by a middleweight match between Uriah Hall (16-9) and Chris Weidman (15-5).
UFC 261 – Main card
– Main event: Welterweight championship: Kamaru Usman v Jorge Masvidal
– Women’s strawweight championship: Zhang Weili v Rose Namajunas
– Women’s flyweight championship: Valentina Shevchenko v Jessica Andrade
– Middleweight: Uriah Hall v Chris Weidman
– Light heavyweight: Anthony Smith v Jimmy Crute