Author: Dan Hiergesell

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will be back in action later tonight (Sat., Apr. 24, 2021) to stage UFC 261 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., with a welterweight rematch between UFC champion Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal serving as the main event. This will be the first time UFC is having a sold out crowd since the COVID-19 pandemic started in early 2020.

Before the welterweight rematch unfolds a collection of UFC 261 PPV and “Prelims” matchups will play out in violent fashion. From a co-main event between reigning UFC women’s strawweight champion Zhang Weili and Rose Namajunas to a women’s flyweight clash pitting current titleholder Valentina Shevchenko against Jessica Andrade, UFC 261 should be able to deliver the goods from start to finish.

We will compile the best of the best below — with all video footage courtesy of UFC and ESPN — and will continue to share the action as it rolls in. Enjoy!

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Ariane Carnelossi def. Na Liang via second-round TKO (punches)

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Jeffrey Molina def. Aoriqileng via Unanimous Decision

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Kazula Vargas def. Rong Zhu via Unanimous Decision

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Danaa Batgerel def. Kevin Natividad via first-round TKO (punches)

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Patrick Sabatini def. Tristan Connelly via Unanimous Decision

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Brendan Allen def. Karl Roberson via first-round submission (heel hook)

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Dwight Grant def. Stefan Sekulic via Split Decision

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Randy Brown def. Alex Oliveira via first-round submission (rear-naked choke)

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Anthony Smith def. Jimmy Crute via first-round TKO (doctor stoppage)

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Uriah Hall def. Chris Weidman via first-round TKO (leg injury)

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Valentina Shevchenko def. Jessica Andrade via second-round TKO (punches and elbows)

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Rose Namajunas def. Zhang Weili via first-round knockout (head kick)

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Kamaru Usman def. Jorge Masvidal via second-round knockout (punch)

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For complete UFC 261 results and coverage click here.

Rose Namajunas pulled off another upset finish to win her second UFC women’s strawweight title last night (Sat., Apr. 24, 2021) at UFC 261 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., stopping champion Zhang Weili via first-round knockout (head kick).

Weili came out strong with hard leg kicks and strong punches inside. Namajunas was constantly moving and trying to time her jab. Out of nowhere “Thug” launched a perfectly-timed head kick that caught the champion on the chin and dropped her to the canvas. Weili was out of sorts and Namajunas moved in for vicious hammer fists and the title-winning finish.

Check out the full fight video highlights below courtesy of UFC/ESPN:

For complete UFC 261 results and coverage click here.

One of the most highly-anticipated fights of the year will go down later tonight (Sat., Apr. 24, 2021) at UFC 261 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., as Kamaru Usman puts his UFC welterweight title on the line in a main event rematch against Jorge Masvidal.

This is a massive rematch seeing as the two welterweights collided at UFC 251 in July 2020. Usman ended up defeating Masvidal via unanimous decision in the “Fight Island” throwdown, but “Gamebred” only had six days to prepare for the short-notice title fight. This time around, Masvidal has had a full camp and will give Usman all he can handle tonight in Jacksonville.

For Usman, this is his opportunity to win his first rematch in UFC competition. The reigning welterweight king is already in the discussion for greatest 170-pound fighter of all time, but Usman can really separate himself from the pack if he can work his way through the division’s top contenders a second time.

It’s going to be one of the most talked about main events of the year, but when will Usman and Masvidal actually make their respective walks to the Octagon later tonight at UFC 261?

With four other fights taking place on the PPV main card starting at 10:00 p.m. ET, Usman vs. Masvidal 2 is likely to begin sometime around 12:00 a.m. ET (Sunday). The main card will also feature a women’s strawweight title fight between Zhang Weili and Rose Namajunes, as well as a women’s flyweight title fight between Valentina Shevchenko and Jessica Andrade. If either one of those five-round bouts go the distance the main event rematch between “Nigerian Nightmare” and “Gamebred” could very well be delayed.

If things run late (or early) Mania will be sure to provide an updated start time for tonight’s Usman vs. Masvidal 2 main event. You won’t want to miss it!

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 261 fight card right HERE, starting with the early ESPN2/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.

We are just hours away from UFC 261 later tonight (Sat., Apr. 24, 2021) live on ESPN+ PPV from inside VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., and the promotion has dropped the final episode of “Embedded.”

The main event of the evening will feature a rematch between UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal. The two locked horns last year but “Gamebred” only had a week to prepare for the fight. He’ll have more time for the rematch and will try to prove he’s the best welterweight on the planet. Usman will be searching for his fourth-straight title defense.

UFC 261 will also showcase two others title fights. The first being a co-main event clash pitting dominant women’s strawweight champion Zhang Weili against fan favorite “Thug” Rose Namajunas. The second will be a women’s flyweight title fight between reigning champion Valentina Shevchenko and perennial contender Jessica Andrade.

In advance to the action and the promotion welcoming back a full crowd of fans, the final episode of UFC 261 “Embedded” has been released. The full video can be seen in the above player and features final weigh cuts, ceremonial staredowns, and some last-minute trash talk between Usman and “Gamebred.”

From the official YouTube description:

Foes Jorge Masvidal and Kamaru Usman cut weight in very different ways. Francis Ngannou lightens the mood. Valentina Shevchenko has an easy cut, and the title fights are official at the weigh-in. Fans return for the triple-header ceremonial weigh-in.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 261 fight card right HERE, starting with the early ESPN2/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.

Not only will Colby Covington be in attendance later tonight (Sat., Apr. 24, 2021) at UFC 261 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., but “Chaos” is also looking to square up inside of the Octagon with the winner of Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal 2.

Covington, who is coming off a dominant TKO win over former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley back in Sept. 2020, is currently waiting for his second shot at UFC gold. UFC president Dana White told reporters earlier this week that Covington is expected to face the winner of UFC 261’s main event rematch between Usman and Masvidal so “Chaos” is simply trying to make the most out of his opportunity.

Covington was planning on attending UFC 261 from the minute it was announced and even declared himself the unofficial main event backup, but now he’s aiming for White to put together a post-fight faceoff with the winner.

“I hope that Dana puts that together,” Covington told MMA Junkie. “I would love to go look the winner in the eyes and let them know I’m next. Then the fans can see how cowardice they are when they go hiding and they go looking for a way out or ‘retirement’ or ‘I’m walking away from the sport.’ I’m hoping I get to look them in the eyes tomorrow night, but I don’t know if there will be enough men in the building to hold me back from what I’m going to do to the winner tomorrow night.”

If Covington had his choice of opponent he’d prefer to see Usman defeat Masvidal for a second time and retain his UFC welterweight title. While “Chaos” shares a long history with Masvidal he’s already lost to Usman inside of the Octagon at UFC 245 in what many consider the greatest 170-pound title fight of all time. Covington is eager to take another shot at Usman and prove he’s the better fighter.

“Of course I would rather it be ‘Marty Fakenewsman,’” Covington said. “We have unfinished business. That first fight, there’s a bad taste in my mouth, there’s a bad taste in the fans’ mouth. … That fight needs to be run back. That’s the best fight that people want to see and it’s the fight that the fans deserve. But honestly, he’s already talking about retiring, so I don’t see that fight happening. He’s probably going to retire and not fight me. Masvidal doesn’t want to fight me. He’s already turned down that fight for a year. He knows who his daddy is. Jorge Masvidal’s my son, and he knows what.”

It’s only a matter of time before we find out if a full camp will help Masvidal take out Usman. If he does there’s a good chance the two welterweights run it back for a trilogy fight. If Usman is able to control Masvidal like last time and secure his fourth-straight title defense then Covington will get his shot at the champ.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 261 fight card right HERE, starting with the early ESPN2/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.

Former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis came up short in his Professional Fighters League (PFL) debut last night (Fri., Apr. 23, 2021) at PFL 1 live on ESPN2 from inside Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, N.J., when “Showtime” lost to former UFC fighter Clay Collard via unanimous decision in the main event.

Despite coming in as a massive favorite Pettis failed to deliver when it mattered most. Collard was on him from the opening bell and “Showtime” seemed to have trouble dealing with the pressure. Collard even scored two knockdowns in the second round and the fight was nearly waved off.

Pettis needed a finish in the third round to walk away with the win. The former UFC champion launched a hail mary head kick and flying knee that temporarily rocked Collard with one minute left, but “Showtime” couldn’t put the comeback together. It was impressive to see Pettis stomach all of the punishment he did over the course of three rounds, but Collard ultimately walked away with the upset.

Check out the video highlights below courtesy of PFL:

For complete PFL 1 results and coverage click here.