Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream UFC 261 live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. Whether it’s on a full camp or short notice, Kamaru
Usman has the antidote for Jorge
Masvidal. Usman (19-1, 14-0 UFC) left no doubt in their rematch at UFC
261, knocking out “Gamebred” in the second round of Saturday’s
welterweight championship headliner at Vystar Veteran’s Memorial
Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. The end came 62 seconds into Round
2, as Usman floored Masvidal (35-14, 12-8 UFC) with a
picture-perfect straight right hand and sealed the deal with
approximately five hammerfists on the canvas.
“I know with my fundamentals I am the pound-for-pound best fighter
on the planet right now,” said Usman, who has won 14 consecutive
fights in UFC competition, the second most in promotion history
behind Anderson
Silva.
The card was the UFC’s first in front of a capacity crowd since
March 2020, and Usman gave them something to remember. The opening
round was competitive but still belonged to Usman, as he landed
solid straight punches and took Masvidal down in the center of the
cage. The Miami native stayed busy with elbows from his back and
eventually returned to his feet, seemingly setting the stage for a
lengthy championship clash. That would not be the case.
Masvidal began the second frame by attacking Usman’s legs with
kicks. It wasn’t long after, though, that Usman connected on the
missile of a right hand that sent Masvidal to the canvas, followed
by hammerfists that were just icing on the cake. It was the first
time Masvidal had been finished by strikes since June 2008.
“No disrespect, thank you to my man Jorge. You elevated me,” Usman
said. “He made me go to the workshop and I had to sharpen all my
tools to put on a performance like that. I told everybody, I’m
still getting better. The sky’s the limit for me for as long as I’m
doing this.”
Masvidal initially stepped in to face Usman on a week’s notice at
UFC 251, replacing Gilbert
Burns after a positive COVID-19 test. Usman cruised to a
unanimous decision in that July bout, but the door was left open
for a rematch because Masvidal fatigued quickly due to the lack of
a full camp. Now, the rivalry has some closure.
“I thought we were gonna wrestle more. I was ready to wrestle 25
minutes,” Masvidal said. “All the props to him in the world, he
caught me by surprise. He’s got my number, nothing I can say but he
won this fair and square and God bless him, man.”
Namajunas Head Kick KOs Zhang, Regains Title
For the second time in her mixed martial arts career, Rose
Namajunas is the UFC strawweight champion.
“Thug” Rose authored a shocking knockout in the UFC 261 co-main
event, finishing Weili Zhang
with a head kick and follow-up hammerfists 1:18 into the opening
round of their 115-pound title bout. Zhang saw a 21-fight
professional winning streak come to an end.
“I did it again,” said Namajunas, who was once again an underdog
just as she was when she initially claimed strawweight gold with a
win over Joanna
Jedrzejczyk at UFC 217.
During the initial stage of the bout, Namajunas (10-4, 8-3 UFC)
utilized footwork and constant movement to stay out of range of
Zhang’s powerful strikes. But it was the fight-ending maneuver that
will be forever etched in history. Namajunas feinted a low kick
with her lead leg before going upstairs with a high kick with the
same leg, connecting clean on Zhang’s chin. The Chinese star fell
backward immediately, her head bouncing off the canvas. Namajunas
followed her foe to the floor and landed about three or four
follow-up hammerfists before referee Keith
Peterson stepped in to halt the bout.
Zhang (21-2, 5-1 UFC) protested the stoppage in the immediate
aftermath and reiterated that the fight might have ended
prematurely in her post-fight interview, but it appeared that
Namajunas’ final salvo had the Black Tiger Fight Club
representative reeling.
“I didn’t see her moving. I wasn’t sure if she was gonna come back
from that,” Namajunas said. “Just a couple of hammerfists and
that’s how it went.”
Shevchenko Rolls to Fifth Successful Title Defense
Many observers believed Jessica
Andrade might be the most difficult challenge of Valentina
Shevchenko’s flyweight reign to date. The woman known as
“Bullet” proved otherwise in dominant fashion.
Shevchenko (21-3, 10-2 UFC) thwarted Andrade (21-9, 12-7 UFC) at
every turn, earning a technical knockout victory 3:19 into Round 2
of their 125-pound championship contest. The Tiger Muay Thai
product has now successfully defended the flyweight crown five
times since winning the vacant belt in December 2018.
“My plan was to come into the Octagon and destroy my opponent,”
Shevchenko said. “Sorry Jessica, but it was my plan.”
Shevchenko sent a message at the very beginning of the bout. She
tagged Andrade with clean punching combinations to the head, landed
multiple takedowns and hunted for a rear-naked choke near the
fence. Andrade didn’t succumb to the hold, but it only delayed the
inevitable. The champion slammed Andrade to the canvas within the
first 20 seconds of Round 2, then denied a takedown attempt from
her opponent when they returned to their feet. Moments later, she
grounded the Brazilian again, moved to a mounted crucifix position
and began attacking her defenseless foe with elbows and punches.
Shevchenko gradually increased the speed and intensity of her
elbows until referee Dan Miragliotta mercifully stepped in on
Andrade’s behalf.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Shevchenko’s latest victory
was her complete control in the wrestling aspect of the fight. At
least one person wasn’t surprised.
“I want to say one thing. My opponents are trying to figure out
what is a weakness of mine,” Shevchenko said. “Don’t waste your
time. There (are) none.”
Weidman Suffers Gruesome Leg Injury
Chris
Weidman’s rematch with Uriah Hall
ended in a most unfortunate fashion, as his leg snapped after
landing the first leg kick of their middleweight contest. Weidman
collapsed to the canvas in agony, and the bout was waved off
immediately, just 17 seconds after it began. Hall has won four
straight within the Las Vegas-based promotion.
The result was reminiscent of Weidman’s title defense against
Anderson
Silva at UFC 168, when “The Spider” broke his leg on a checked
kick in their December 2013 bout. Weidman (15-6, 11-6 UFC) was
taken from the Octagon on a stretcher, while a visibly distressed
Hall (17-9, 11-6 UFC) tried to come to terms with what just
happened.
“I got nothing but respect for Chris Weidman. He’s truly one of the
best,” said Hall, who did not throw a strike in the bout. “It is a
crazy story that he was the first man that defeated me…It’s just
crazy how we ended up here again.
“I wanted to put on a great performance. I feel so bad for him. I
hope he’s OK. It’s the sucky part of this sport. It’s the hurt
business.”
Weidman and Hall initially squared off at a Ring of
Combat event in 2010, with the former middleweight champion
winning by first-round technical knockout.
Smith Leg Kick Stops Crute
It only takes one perfectly-placed low kick to ruin a fighter’s
night.
Jimmy
Crute found out that out the hard way against Anthony
Smith, as their light heavyweight contest was stopped after one
round when the Australian was rendered unable to continue thanks to
a leg kick from his opponent. Smith’s kick landed on the outside of
Crute’s left knee, causing his leg to buckle immediately. “The
Brute” was able to survive the rest of the frame by landing a pair
of takedowns, but the bout was waved off when he continued to
struggle to find his footing prior to the beginning of Round 2.
“I couldn’t feel my leg,” Crute admitted. “In the second round I
was just gonna come in and pull guard, because I couldn’t stand on
it.”
Early on, it was Smith’s jab that was making an impact. The former
light heavyweight title challenger pumped his lead hand into
Crute’s mug repeatedly, even making his opponent stumble backward
on one occasion. Meanwhile, Crute (12-2, 4-2 UFC) attacked Smith’s
leg with low kicks of his own in return. Ultimately, it was
“Lionheart” who landed the most decisive leg kick of the fight.
“I’ve always been a big kicker,” said Smith (35-16, 10-7 UFC), who
earned his sixth finish at 205 pounds. “I just haven’t been setting
it up enough.”
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