UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman defended his title for the fourth consecutive time on Saturday night. His UFC 261 victory over Jorge Masvidal moved his overall record to 19-1.
Usman defeated Masvidal once before less than a year ago, but that fight went to a decision. This time, he finished the bout with a statement, dropping Masvidal with a bone-crushing right hand, and then finishing with a couple hammerfists before the referee could pull him off.
Asked if those last couple of “extra shots” felt good to him, Usman told a reporter at the UFC 261 post-fight press conference that they were “super necessary.”
Dana White: Kamaru Usman will fight Colby Covington next
April 25, 2021
UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman made the fourth consecutive defense of his title at UFC 261 on Saturday night. Only moments removed from the fight, UFC president Dana White reiterated that Colby Covington would be next for the champ.
Usman’s win over Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261 was a rematch. Now, he’s tasked with another rematch in Covington.
“The fight between him and Colby Covington is one of the greatest fights I’ve ever seen. Those two stood in there toe to toe, blasting each until Colby went down with a broken jaw,” White said at the UFC 261 post-fight press conference.
UFC 261 bonuses: Kamaru Usman and Rose Namajunas bank bonuses
April 25, 2021
Officials announced the UFC 261 bonuses immediately following Saturday night’s championship tripleheader in front of a packed house at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. It was the fight promotion’s first event allowed to have a sold-out live audience since the initiation of pandemic restrictions in early 2020.
The fight promotion set the venue record for gate numbers generating $3.3 million in receipts. 15,269 spectators attended the event.
Fight of the Night:
Fight of the Night honors went to the flyweights from the preliminary fight card. Jeff Molina defeated Qileng Aori by unanimous decision in a back-and-forth battle.
UFC 261 results: Usman sleeps Masvidal, Namajunas reclaims belt, and Shevchenko dominates
April 25, 2021
Though UFC 261 featured three championship fights, that fact was largely overshadowed in the lead-up by the idea that it also marked the promotion’s first event since the pandemic struck that a sold-out venue full of fans would be allowed in attendance. With the UFC 261 results now in the books, the fighters stole the limelight back.
UFC 261 results: Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal
Kamaru Usman wanted nothing but to finish Jorge Masvidal in their headlining rematch. He did just that.
Usman opened with a crisp jab, stinging Masvidal throughout the first half of the first frame before Masvidal finally landed. In shades of his fight with Ben Askren, Masvidal launched a flying knee, but Usman caught him and tossed him onto the canvas.