feature-image
feature-image

UFC welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman, will defend his belt against Jorge Masvidal this weekend at UFC 261. Ahead of the mega-fight, former lightweight kingpin, Khabib Nurmagomedov, has wished Usman good luck. Usman and ‘The Eagle’ both happen to be managed by Ali Abdelaziz and are part of the Dominance MMA team.

Watch What’s Trending Now!

Good luck my brother @USMAN84kg You are the best, inside and outside octagon,” wrote Nurmagomedov on Twitter.

ADVERTISEMENT

‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ will look to make the fourth successful defense of his title. He will fight ‘Gamebred’ in the main event of the UFC 261 pay-per-view.

Usman previously fought Masvidal at UFC 251. The Miami native stepped up on 6 days’ notice to take on ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ after the latter’s original opponent, Gilbert Burns, had to pull out. ‘Gamebred’ saved the main event of the first-ever pay-per-view at UFC Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.

ADVERTISEMENT

article-image

Imago

Usman believed Masvidal had a built-in excuse as he took the fight. So, he wanted to rematch him despite earning a dominant decision the first time. The champion is keen to build on his performance from last year and break Masvidal’s will. It remains to be seen whether he can do that.

ADVERTISEMENT

Can Kamaru Usman reign supreme yet again against Jorge Masvidal?

Masvidal will have a better gas tank and game plan this time as he has undergone a training camp. Whether he can use that effectively to come up with a proper plan to beat Usman will remain a mystery. His ferocity and explosiveness in the short spaces will certainly give him a chance in the clinch, but the champion is as good as they come.

ADVERTISEMENT

article-image

Imago

Also, as they have fought each other before, both men will have a better assessment of their opponent. Now, it will intrigue fans to see if Usman can keep Nurmagomedov‘s wish.

ADVERTISEMENT

Who gets it done in the main event? Share your thoughts.

ADVERTISEMENT

Share this with a friend:

Link Copied!

ADVERTISEMENT

Written by

author-image

Apratim Banerjee

1,260 Articles

Apratim Banerjee is a senior UFC author for EssentiallySports and has been writing professionally for almost a year. Before his current gig, Apratim worked as a UFC writer for Sportskeeda. A long-time MMA fan, Apratim has developed a critical eye for the sport that has helped him transfer his vast knowledge to his copies and give hardcore and casual readers a detailed insight into the fights and fighters.

Know more

ADVERTISEMENT