UFC 251 on Fight Island: Usman retains vs. Masvidal title wins for Yan, Volkanovski

UFC 251, the 1st of the UFC’s 4 “Struggle Island” gatherings this thirty day period, wrapped up Sunday morning in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, with the past of 3 title fights on the card. The bout was the most lopsided of the bunch.

Kamaru Usman grinded his way to a unanimous conclusion in excess of Jorge Masvidal to keep his welterweight belt. Usman was by no means in danger of losing on the judges’ cards: He gained the bout 50-45, 50-45 and 49-46, this means Masvidal won just 1 round on just one particular card.

UFC 251: How a great deal funds will Usman and Masvidal make?

Usman (17-1) applied a range of strikes, toe stomps and grappling to control Masvidal (35-14), who took the combat on six days’ observe after Gabriel Burns was scratched for testing positive for COVID-19.

“I am just at stages superior, I have a lot more equipment in the toolbox and when I will need to pull them out I can pull them out and use them,” Usman instructed ESPN following his win.

Usman’s gain was his 16th straight and 2nd thriving defense of his welterweight championship. Burns is likely to get his shot at Usman future.

The other title fights had been a whole lot far more intriguing. Petr Yan pummeled Jose Aldo for the vacant bantamweight championship, and Alexander Volkanovski rallied to decision Max Holloway in their rematch and retain his featherweight championship.

Sporting News offered are living results and highlights from the primary card of UFC 251 on Yas Island, aka Fight Island, Abu Dhabi. Look at back again often for updates (all occasions Jap).

UFC 251 on Battle Island: Dwell updates, highlights from Abu Dhabi card

1:58 a.m.: And, no, it was not shut. Usman pretty much pitched a shutout, with Masvidal winning just a single round on 1 judge’s card.

1:48 a.m.: Usman gets Masvidal down in the center of the fifth and rides that very long plenty of to choose the round. Masvidal receives to the feet in the closing moment but his endeavor at a desperation knockout was never ever going to do the job. This must be a lopsided conclusion for the champ.

1:42 a.m.: Masvidal reveals an iron chin as he eats various challenging strikes from Usman. It can be on to the closing round, and it appears as if Usman is in command.

1:37 a.m.: To the fourth. Masvidal was seeking to troll Usman by smiling in the former spherical.

1:35 a.m.: Annnnd, an additional low blow: Masvidal normally takes this just one in the 3rd, even though one replay confirmed that possibly the shot was lawful.

1:30 a.m.: A different clash of heads leaves Masvidal bleeding from the forehead. This just one may possibly need to have stitches. Usman arrives out sturdy in the third against an opponent who took the battle on significantly less than a week’s recognize and experienced to cut a bunch of pounds to get to 170 kilos. 

1:20 a.m.: The key event is underway. Good action in the very first spherical. Masvidal was bleeding from an accidental clash of heads. 

12:55 a.m.: Volkanovski retains by split final decision. Scores are 48-47, 47-48, 48-47. Now it really is on to the principal party.

12:50 a.m.: The battle goes the length. To the judges’ cards. Volkanovski worked his way back into the combat with superior operate in Rounds 3 and 4. Round 5 should decide this.

12:35 a.m.: We’re halfway by Volkanovski-Holloway, and it appears to be as if the challenger is in manage. Observers have Holloway winning the first two rounds.

11:57 p.m.: Petr Yan bludgeons Jose Aldo in a fifth-round TKO and grabs the undisputed bantamweight belt. Yan experienced the previous champion in trouble on the floor various occasions in the fight, but the complete failed to occur until finally following Yan had break up open Aldo’s encounter with floor and pound halfway by way of the fifth. The referee gave Aldo way way too a lot time to get well and reply the barrage of strikes from Yan.

11:12 p.m.: It is really time for the title fights, starting up with Yan-Aldo.

11:10 p.m.: Rose Namajunas takes a break up final decision from Jessica Andrade in their rematch. This was a straight slugfest that left both equally fighters bloodied. It was contested just about solely on the ft, but equally women escaped takedowns in the third spherical. Two judges experienced the bout 29-28 for Namajunas and the other choose had it 29-28 for Andrade. A Fight of the Night prospect.

10:30 p.m.: The 1st combat of the main card is around rapidly: Amanda Ribas submits Paige VanZant with an armbar at 2:21 of the 1st spherical. This was the last struggle of VanZant’s UFC deal.

And although it may possibly appear as however Ribas’ MMA history is 100-1 after that hard work, it is just 10-1.

10 p.m.: Jiri Prochazka ends the prelims in type with a clean up two-punch knockout of Volkan Oezdemir:

9:40 p.m.: The topic of the evening/early morning has grow to be very low blows. There have been a couple of ’em:

Product from Omnisport was made use of in this report.