UFC 261 live stream results and play-by-play updates for the “Usman vs. Masvidal 2” pay-per-view (PPV) event will be updated right here, starting at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and ESPN+ TONIGHT (Sat., April 24, 2021) from inside VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. Main eventing the championship tripleheader will be welterweight rivals Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal, as “The Nigerian Nightmare” looks to replicate his “Gamebred”-winning performance from UFC 251. In addition, flyweight queenpin Valentina Shevchenko puts her 125-pound strap on the line against ex-strawweight titleholder Jessica Andrade. Elsewhere on the card, 115-pound champion Zhang Weili faces off against former division titleholder Rose Namajunas. Chris Weidman, Uriah Hall, Anthony Smith, and Jimmy Crute round out the PPV main card, which kicks off at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 261 fight card below, starting with the early ESPN2/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches, 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.
Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps, and post-fight analysis following “Usman vs. Masvidal 2.” Without further delay, see below for the latest UFC 261 results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action.)
UFC 261 QUICK RESULTS:
UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal — Usman def. Masvidal by KO (punches) at 1:02 of Round Two — HIGHLIGHTS
UFC Strawweight Champion Zhang Weili vs. Rose Namajunas — Namajunas def. Zhang by KO (head kick and punches) at 1:18 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS
UFC Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko vs. Jessica Andrade — Shevchenko def. Andrade by TKO (elbows) at 3:19 of Round Two — HIGHLIGHTS
Chris Weidman vs. Uriah Hall — Hall def. Weidman by TKO (leg injury) at 0:17 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS
Jimmy Crute vs. Anthony Smith — Smith def. Crute by TKO (foot injury) at 5:00 of Round One
Randy Brown vs. Alex Oliveira — Brown def. Oliveira by submission (rear naked choke) at 2:50 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS
Dwight Grant vs. Stefan Sekulic — Grant def. Sekulic by split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)
Brendan Allen vs. Karl Roberson — Allen def. Roberson by submission (straight ankle lock) at 4:55 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS
Tristan Connelly vs. Pat Sabatini — Sabatini def. Connelly by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
Danaa Batgerel vs. Kevin Natividad — Danaa def. Natividad by TKO (punches) at 0:50 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS
Kazula Vargas vs. Rongzhu — Vargas def. Rongzhu by unanimous decision (30-26, 29-28 x2)
Aoriqileng vs. Jeffrey Molina — Molina def. Aoriqileng by unanimous decision (29-28 x2, 29-27)
Ariane Carnelossi vs. Liang Na — Carnelossi def. Liang by TKO (punches) at 1:22 of Round Two — HIGHLIGHTS
UFC 261 LIVE PLAY-BY-PLAY:
170 lbs.: UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal
Round 1: Low kicks from Masvidal. Good 1-2 from Usman that Masvidal laughs off. One minute in. Jab to the body. Lead right upstairs. Usman low kick, Masvidal body kick two minutes in. Masvidal tries to jump in with a knee and gets slammed to the mat from the body lock. Masvidal throwing elbows off his back. Two minutes to go.
Good elbow from Usman. More elbows from Masvidal in return. He scoots to the fence, briefly makes it to his feet. Again and they separate. Hard right hand by Usman with a minute to go, stiff jab behind it. He misses some wild left hooks. Low kicks from Masvidal. Masvidal with a flying knee. 10-9 Usman.
Round 2: Low kicks from Masvidal. Both sling big right hands. Jab lands for Usman. He follows up with an absolute mind-boggling monster of a right cross that absolutely destroys Masvidal. Masvidal is about 1% awake when he hits the mat, but some more brutal hammerfists fix that soon enough.
Final result: Usman def. Masvidal by KO (punches)
115 lbs.: UFC Strawweight Champion Zhang Weili vs. Rose Namajunas
Round 1: Low kick lands for Zhang. Jab behind the next one. Good jab from Namajunas. Zhang low kick a minute in. Out of nowhere, Namajunas uncorks a left high kick that catches Zhang perfectly. The champ goes down in a heap, and a couple more punches prompt the finish. Rose Namajunas is once again your UFC Strawweight Champion.
Final result: Namajunas def. Zhang by KO (head kick and punches)
125 lbs.: UFC Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko vs. Jessica Andrade
Round 1: Shevchenko avoids a rush, lands a 1-2. Another clean 1-2. She lands a body lock takedown a minute in. Andrade pops back up, dragged back down. Back up, dragged to her knees. Shevchenko tries a head kick on the exit. 1-2-1, 1-2. Andrade puts her on the fence. Shevchenko tries an outside trip, then drags her down into half guard. She takes the back and wraps up the RNC with two minutes to go.
Shevchenko doesn’t quite have the angle, but manages to get a hook in after losing the choke. Andrade makes it up, eats knees. One minute to go. Shevchenko takes her down into side control once again. 10-9 Shevchenko.
Round 2: Early right hands from Shevchenko, who slams Andrade down into half guard. One minute in. Shevchenko staying heavy, not many strikes. Andrade gets to her feet and looks for a high crotch. Shevchenko counters with another takedown into side control. She gets the crucifix and starts dropping right hands. Two minutes to go.
Heavy elbows piling up now and they send the ref into action.
Final result: Shevchenko def. Andrade by TKO (elbows)
185 lbs.: Chris Weidman vs. Uriah Hall
Round 1: Weidman fires a leg kick and his shin snaps Anderson Silva-style. Only strike of the fight.
Final result: Hall def. Weidman by TKO (leg injury)
205 lbs.: Jimmy Crute vs. Anthony Smith
Round 1: Crute advancing, Smith circling. Body kick lands for Crute, met by a jab. One minute in. Crute lands a leg kick, more jabs from Smith. Smith left hook answered in kind. Stiff jab buzzes Crute. Another low kick from the Aussie in response. Two minutes in. Smith continuing to land jabs. Low kick from Crute. They trade in the center. Smith jabs, Crute low kick. Two minutes to go.
Crute tries a left hook, eats an overhand, lands his own hook. More stiff jabs by Smith, another low kick from Crute. Smith lands a hard leg kick and Crute buckles, but responds with a takedown. Landing punches from back control. Smith makes it back to his feet, taken right down into guard. Crute drops punches until the bell. Crute’s foot is sideways. 10-9 Smith.
Crute’s insistent he can continue, but the ref waves it off.
Final result: Smith def. Crute by TKO (foot injury)
170 lbs.: Randy Brown vs. Alex Oliveira
Round 1: Low kicks land for Oliveira, then a left hook upstairs. He takes a low blow. Three more heavy low kicks when he returns. Then a fourth, which Brown answers with a right hand. Then comes a massive 1-2 that drops Oliveira. Brown pounds for a bit, then looks for mount. Trying to take the back two minutes in. Brown gets the forearm under the chin and somehow manages to force a tap with a one-arm RNC. Damn.
Final result: Brown def. Oliveira by submission (rear naked choke)
170 lbs.: Dwight Grant vs. Stefan Sekulic
Round 1: Low kick from Sekulic, right hand from Grant in response. One minute in. Sekulic falls short with a head kick. Both men tentative. Grant low kick. Sekulic advancing. Two minutes in. Grant tries a combination. Grant throwing more and harder but neither man landing. Sekulic body kick, Grant low kick. Two minutes to go.
Sekulic tries a flying knee. Grant lands a left hook. One minute to go. Sekulic just doing nothing so far and Grant happy to just do the tiniest bit more. Sekulic shoots behind a left hand for a takedown against the fence. 10-9 Grant.
Round 2: Technical difficulties means I first see the action 50 seconds in. Now one minute in. Sekulic shoots behind a left hand again, Grant denies it and throws heat. Sekulic with a nice counter, next shot denied as well. Two minutes in. Sekulic slowly advancing. Low kick from Grant. Glancing right hand. Head kick attempt. Two minutes to go.
2-1 from Sekulic. He shoots, takes Grant down into half guard. Grant manages to stand with a minute to go. Now he’s on the advance, tries a head kick. Lead right. Sekulic tries a head kick, lands a straight left and shoots. 10-9 Sekulic.
Round 3: Early counter left and body kick from Sekulic. Grant answers a straight left with his own takedown into guard a minute in. He waves Sekulic up soon after. Straight left from Sekulic. Low kick connects. Two minutes in. Sekulic gets in deep on a takedown and puts Grant on his rear. Grant manages to stand and separate. 3-2 whiffs. Heavy straight left by Sekulic. Two minutes to go.
They trade right hands. Grant turns aside a takedown. Good 1-2. Sekulic tries a head kick. One minute to go. Sekulic straight left, Grant overhand right. Grant denies a shot. Side kick from Sekulic then a 1-2 that buckles Grant. Grant tries to smile it off, but Sekulic follows with a flying knee and wraps up a guillotine. Saved by the bell. 10-9 Sekulic.
Final result: Grant def. Sekulic by split decision
185 lbs.: Brendan Allen vs. Karl Roberson
Round 1: Allen orthodox, Roberson switching. Combo from Roberson, good counter left. Lead left this time, switch, good jab. One minute in. Low kicks from Roberson. 1-3-2 from Allen knocks Roberson back. Allen grabs over-unders against the fence and takes him down into guard. Two minutes in. Roberson trying to use the cage to stand, gives up mount while seated. Allen threatens a guillotine for a bit. Two minutes to go.
Roberson stands, tripped right back into half guard. Allen staying heavy. One minute to go. Allen unable to pass guard. Roberson rolls for a leglock, but Allen wraps up his own straight ankle lock and forces a painful tap.
Final result: Allen def. Roberson by submission (straight ankle lock)
145 lbs.: Tristan Connelly vs. Pat Sabatini
Round 1: Sabatini circling, eats a right hand. 3-2 lands for him. Left hook, leg kick. As Cormier is discussing the impact of the weight cut on Connelly’s chin, Sabatini floors him with a counter right and sets up in half guard a minute in. Connelly looking to sit up into him. Two minutes in. Sabatini controlling, lands some shots to the head. Arm triangle attempt to a back take. Two minutes to go.
Full body triangle for Sabatini. Couple good right hands, back to looking for the choke. One minute to go. He gets it on the chin, can’t finish. They hand fight until the bell. 10-8 Sabatini.
Round 2: Sabatini whiffs on some counters. Continuing to circle. Tries some two-pieces. Easy double-leg into guard. One minute in. Side control now for Sabatini. Connelly throwing knees off his back two minutes in. He turns to his knees and Sabatini jumps on his back, looking for a Suloev stretch before retaking side control. Right back to the back with two minutes to go.
Sabatini nearly locks up an arm triangle as Connelly turns, then goes back to the back. One minute to go. Connelly tries to elbow the thighs. Not as much damage from Sabatini this time, so just 10-9.
Round 3: Sabatini clinches up, puts him on the fence. Unable to land the takedown and they both swing on the break. Over-under clinch, taken to the fence. jockeying for position. One minute in. Sabatini looking for a single-leg. Body shot connects. Connelly considers a guillotine, drops it. Knee for him and he reverses on the fence. Reversed in turn. Two minutes in. They separate. Sabatini goes back to circling. Low kick from Connelly. Two minutes to go.
Hard right hand by Connelly, Sabatini waves him on and shoots. Connelly puts him on the fence. Left hand by Sabaatini on the break. One minute to go. Connelly with another overhand right. Overhand from Sabatini in return. Connelly trips him down into side control. Sabatini regains half guard, looks for a leg, can’t get it. 10-9 Sabatini.
Final result: Sabatini def. Connelly by unanimous decision
135 lbs.: Danaa Batgerel vs. Kevin Natividad
Round 1: Early right hand lands for Natividad. Another one buzzes Danaa for a moment. Natividad tries to blitz and gets folded by a left hook. Danaa follows up with heavy punches for the finish.
Final result: Danaa def. Natividad by TKO (punches)
155 lbs.: Kazula Vargas vs. Rongzhu
Round 1: Vargas advancing early. nothing big landing yet. One minute in. Straight left by Vargas, leg kicks. 1-2-body shots. Another 1-2. Two minutes in. 1-2 from Rongzhu in return. Vargas low kick and jab. Hard right by Vargas as they exchange. Body shot. Two minutes to go.
Heavy low kicks by Vargas. Rongzhu answers the next one with jabs. Combination by Vargas, 1-2-3 and a right cross by Rongzhu. Vargas with another body shot. One minute to go. Leg kicks from Vargas. Rongzhu weirdly unwilling to let his hands go. Both land hard body kicks after a boxing exchange. Vargas tries a two-piece. 10-9 Vargas.
Round 2: More low kicks from Vargas. Rongzhu catches one for a takedown. Varrgas wraps up a guillotine from guard. Thumbs up from Rongzhu as he defends. Vargas continuing to squeeze a minute in. Rongzhu waits it out and holds onto a body lock, lifting and slamming back into another guillotine. Rongzhu passes to half guard and extracts his head two minutes in. Rongzhu moves to rear turtle. One hook in, but at a bad angle. Two minutes to go
Vargas pops his head out and sets up in half guard. Rongzhu regains guard. He uses a hip bump to stand with a minute to go. Vargas takes him to the fence and they separate. Vargas fires a 1-2. Rongzhu tries a head kick, gets deep but can’t land a takedown at the bell. 10-9 Vargas.
Round 3: Vargas seems like he’s lost some zip in his shots. Sharp right hand by Rongzhu. Vargas tries to wade in with a combo. Rongzhu advancing, takes a jab downstairs a minute in. Counter jab by Rongzhu, Vargas body shot. They trade right hands. Big right hand by Rongzhu, best punch of the fight. Two minutes in. Vargas tries a jumping knee. Body shots. Lead right by Rongzhu. They trade lefts. Jab lands for Vargas and Rongzhu mugs, then drops him with a counter right. Vargas comes back with a body shot. Two minutes to go.
1-2 from Vargas. Rongzhu combo falls short, eats a jab. They trade power hands. Again. One minute to go. Rongzhu continuing to walk him down, eats a straight left. They trade big right hands, then hooks. Vargas shoots, denied, lands on the back foot. Rongzhu hits his own takedown and looks to drop bombs at the bell. 10-9 Rongzhu.
Final result: Vargas def. Rongzhu by unanimous decision
125 lbs.: Aoriqileng vs. Jeffrey Molina
Round 1: Aoriqileng advancing, looking for big left hands. Molina circling, switching stance. One minute in. 1-2 falls short. They trade body kicks. Lefts from Aoriqileng. He punches his way into the clinch against the fence. Two minutes in. Good exchange on the fence, both men swinging big. Aoriqileng with the bigger shots, shoots behind an uppercut and dumps Molina on his back. On top in guard. Looking for the back as Molina stands. Two minutes to go.
Knee from Aoriqileng against the fence. Molina reverses. Jockeying for position. One minute to go. They separate and the ref gives Molina his mouthpiece back. Molina tries a head kick. Counter left connects. Aoriqileng puts him on the fence. 10-9 Aoriqileng.
Round 2: Aoriqileng continuing to stalk as Molina circles. Body kick from Molina a minute in. Hard right cross by Aoriqileng, eats jabs. Aoriqileng with another good lead right. Two minutes in. 1-2 from Molina in return. Aoriqileng connects with another right hand in close. Lead left hook. Molina not doing enough on the back foot so far. Another lead hook. Molina answers with a 1-2 that drops Aoriqileng, who knocks him off-balance. Two minutes to go.
They’re trading heat. Aoriqileng continuing to stalk, walking into some counters. Big right hand lands for him. Flying knee against the fence. Molina with a clean 1-2. Aoriqileng to the body, combination near the fence. Spinning elbow attempt. One minute to go. They trade right hands. Body shot. Molina fires off a combo, tries his own takedown without success. Aoriqileng tries a naked kick late in the round and Molina puts him on his butt with a counter right. 10-9 Molina.
Round 3: Aoriqileng still marching forward and throwing heat against the fence. He ducks a right hand for a takedown, can’ keep him down but throws on the break. Good right hand. Combination on the fence and they trade in the clinch a minute in. Counter 1-2 lands for Molina, another combo behind it. He tries an elbow. They trade right hands. Molina still throwing off the back foot, landing some nice counters. Two minutes in. Good flurry lands. Body shots. 1-2 splits the guard. Molina really picking him apart, lands a clean 1-2 that buzzes Aoriqileng. More heavy shots, counter knee. Aoriqileng just trying to walk through it and getting shelled with two minutes to go.
Molina landing everything he throws at this point, now walking Aoriqileng down. Brutal elbow. Body-head, 1-2. Body kick by Aoriqileng. Molina bounces more combinations off of his face. One minute to go. Aoriqileng answers with a right hand, eats body shots for his trouble. Another nasty elbow by Molina. Lengthy combination. Aoriqileng knuckles down in the last 10 seconds and appears to really hurt Molina with a combination, but Molina ties up and survives. 10-9 Molina.
Final result: Molina def. Aoriqileng by unanimous decision
115 lbs.: Ariane Carnelossi vs. Liang Na
Round 1: Liang immediately drops Carnelossi with a right hand, initiate a chaotic exchange until she takes Carnelossi down into quarter guard. Liang looking for mount a minute in. Carnelossi slips out the back door, back to trading heat. Carnelossi punches, Liang knees. Liang hits a body lock takedown near the fence, setting up in guard. Big slam by Na, who avoids an armbar attempt two minutes in. She spins for her own armbar, but ends up on the bottom in guard. Already bringing up her legs, looking for a high guard attack. She tries the armbar, Carnelossi gets her legs out and drops hammerfists. Liang manages to take her down again with two minutes to go.
Awkward position. Carnelossi gets to her knees, then flips Liang over into side control. Solid shots from Carnelossi and she puts in a hook with a minute to go. Liang escapes and dives in with some big right hands, only to land in a triangle. Carnelossi uses it to sweep into mount and drop punches. Liang answers with a leglock attempt that Carnelossi snuffs out, blasting her with left hands until the bell. 10-9 Carnelossi on the near-stoppage.
Round 2: Liang looked bad at the end of the round but she’s going for it. Head-and-arm throw, Carnelossi uses it to look for the back. Carnelossi is at the wrong angle, but she manages to take guard and go back to dropping shots. Carnelossi continues to pound away until the ref steps in.
Final result: Carnelossi def. Liang by TKO (punches)
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