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All signs are pointing toward Kamaru Usman facing Jorge Masvidal at UFC 251. Now, UFC just has to get them to Abu Dhabi COVID-free.
Here’s your morning update regarding the status of the potential late replacement Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal welterweight title fight at UFC 251 on July 11, 2020: Things are looking very, very good.
According to ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, “talks are moving in a positive direction.”
“This morning it seemed like a long shot that this fight would happen,” Helwani told ESPN Sports Center. “Now, it seems barring any last minute hiccups … and there are still a few more hurdles that they have to jump over people are very confident that in exactly seven days from now people are going to see one of the most anticipated fights of 2020. A fight that we didn’t think is going to happen, now it seems like maybe UFC’s most bitter feud is actually going to play out.”
“Barring any last minute hiccups… people are very confident that, in exactly seven days from now, we’re going to be seeing one of the most anticipated fights of 2020.”@arielhelwani went on @SportsCenter to provide an update on @USMAN84kg and @GamebredFighter at #UFC251 pic.twitter.com/q1FFlXrzKU
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) July 5, 2020
The big challenge now isn’t the money issue, but getting Usman and Masvidal through the gauntlet of coronavirus tests and flights required to get them both to Abu Dhabi. And yes, it is key that they do indeed make it to “Fight Island.”
I see people asking, Why not do the fight in Vegas? Valid question. Simple answer: all this Fight Island marketing is great PR for Abu Dhabi. These events aren’t free. They want the big fights. It would defeat the purpose if the biggest fight of the month isn’t on Yas Island.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 5, 2020
It’s important to understand that as much as this is a sporting event, it’s also a massive marketing campaign for Abu Dhabi. Indeed, United Arab Emirates has been trying to shuck off the stigma of being the remote country Garfield mails Nermal to for years. Dubai has been throwing around literally hundreds of millions of dollars sports-washing its country, and Abu Dhabi has similar stacks of cash devoted to presenting the United Arab Emirates as a place to visit and do business and not get cut into several pieces with a hacksaw or arrested for kissing on the beach. (Just to be clear, Dubai did all that, not Abu Dhabi.)
Honestly, I’d be surprised if Abu Dhabi weren’t the ones leaning on Dana White to pay whatever money is needed to get Masvidal and Usman on board. And good for them, both men deserve a massive cash splash for agreeing to this last second ridiculousness.
So let’s cross our fingers and hope all the Coronavirus tests come back negative and sudden surges in Florida don’t shut down outgoing flights before both men can get on a chartered plane. Because barring a COVID-19 positive test, it looks like UFC 251 just got a whole lot more epic.