Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal have agreed on terms for a welterweight title fight at UFC 251 on July 11. Earlier today Ariel Helwani of ESPN reported talks were ongoing for the fight, but the UFC still faced a few hurdles before the long-time rivals would face off.
Gilbert Burns was expected to face ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ on ‘Fight Island’ next weekend. Unfortunately, ‘Durinho’ and two of his team tested positive for COVID-19 shortly before they were due to fly out the island for fight night. Therefore, he has been pulled from UFC 251 leaving Usman without an opponent.
Veteran MMA reporter Helwani has now confirmed fight negotiations are complete and both men will undergo COVID-19 tests in Las Vegas before flying out to Abu Dhabi tomorrow.
“This just in. Negotiations for Usman vs. Masvidal are done, per sources. All sides agreed to terms. Usman is en route to LV; Masvidal landed earlier via private jet. Once at the hotel, they’ll have to take a COVID test and then quarantine while awaiting results. If negative, they’ll fly to AD likely tomorrow. Negotiations were obviously a huge hurdle but now that is clear. Now it depends on that COVID test, which is obviously a massive hurdle, too. Total crap shoot. If (hopefully not) they don’t pass the COVID test the fight can’t and won’t happen,” Helwani wrote on social media.
Who wins at UFC 251? Kamaru Usman or Jorge Masvidal?