The first event on UFC’s Fight Island is now headlined by one of the most anticipated fights of the year.
In what has been a whirlwind weekend in combat sports, Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal will now be fighting Kamaru Usman for the welterweight title of the world. Things started getting interesting when the scheduled contender, Gilbert Burns was suddenly announced as no longer participating in UFC 251. Both Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington took to Twitter to air their own suggestions about how they could help remedy the last minute conundrum.
By the end of the day, Masvidal was being tested for Covid-19 and as of July 5th was in Las Vegas for protocol quarantine while awaiting test results – according to social media posts.
The last minute negotiation seems to have corrected the matchmaking that the fans had initially hoped for. While Burns was on a six-fight win streak, Masvidal has become one of the sport’s most intriguing characters with his dismantling of guys like Darren Till, Nate Diaz, and the potential Knockout of the Decade in Ben Askren.
In his 17 year career, Masvidal now owns a unique record. He is the only fighter to have amassed 48 professional fights before getting a title shot. On a card that has three title fights, all with top tier talent like Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, Jose Aldo, Petr Yan, Jessica Andrade, Rose Namajunas, Paige VanZant, and Amanda Ribas – Usman versus Masvidal will ensure the world is watching.
UFC 251 is available on ESPN+ PPV July 11th. Order HERE
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