The UFC is taking things to the next level this weekend with the first event held on their brand new Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. The new venue will play host to an incredibly loaded UFC 251 card Saturday night, which is sure to open up the new island with some fireworks.
UFC 251 has not one, not two, but three title fights, in addition to two incredible exciting women’s bout. Some of the sports brightest young stars will look to continue their upward trajectories while one of sport’s all-time greatest will look to prove he still has what it takes to be called a champion.
Let’s take a closer look at those three bouts:
Bantamweight Championship bout: Petr Yan vs. Jose Aldo
It’s not every day you get to see one of the all-time great step into the Octagon. Teat will be the case at UFC 251 when Jose Aldo enters the cage to look to recapture UFC gold. Aldo is an incredible, lightning-fast striker who held the Featherweight Championship for nearly five years. The veteran seems to have lost a step of late though, losing five of his last eight fights. Still, he’s always a dangerous opponent for anyone who squares off with him.
Speaking of dangerous opponents, the young Yan sports a 14-1 record with six knockouts. Since entering the UFC in 2018, he is 6-0 with wins over major contenders like Jimmie Rivera and John Dodson and a knockout of another all-time great, Urijah Faber. The 27-year-old is looking to take the next big leap by capturing the recently vacated Bantamweight Championship. This should be a fun fight between two very talented strikers.
Featherweight Championship bout: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Max Holloway
It’s rare that we see a former champion get an immediate rematch for the very title he just lost, but that is the opportunity Holloway has in front of him here. Holloway and Volkanovski put on a great show back in December that resulted in the latter taking the belt from the former. Now, the young Hawaiian fighter will look to reclaim his crown.
That will not be an easy task however as Volkanovski is not accustomed to losing. The champ boasts a 21-1 record and has won 18 fights in a row. With 21 knockouts between these two fighters, expect to see some fireworks in this bout with both willing to stand and bang in order to walk out with the championship.
Welterweight Championship bout: Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal
Up until last week, UFC Welterweight champ Kamaru Usman was scheduled to defend his title against top-ranked welterweight contender Gilbert Burns. After the challenge tested positive for COVID-19, third-ranked contender Jorge Masvidal stepped in on very short notice. The result is now a very intriguing championship bout between two fighters with very different styles.
Masvidal is a veteran with almost 50 fights under his belt and an impressive 35-13 record. Even more impressive is his 16 knockouts, which include the fastest knockout in UFC history – a five-second (FIVE-SECOND!) victory over Ben Askren. The challenger has dynamite in his fists, with his last five wins all coming by knockout or TKO. He may be the underdog heading into this bout, but he’s never more than a single punch, kick, elbow or knee away from victory.
The only reason Masvidal is an underdog is because of the longstanding dominance of Usman. The champ holds a 16-1 record and hasn’t lost a fight since 2013. Usman is an incredibly talented grappler who has proven he can control any opponent and dictate where the fight takes place. He has never faced an opponent quite as dangerous as Masvidal though. Mostly because there are very few welterweights as dangerous as Masvidal. If the challenger can stop the takedowns of Usman, we might see a new champ. That is a very big ‘if’ however as no one has been able to stop Usman thus far.
UFC 251 will be held tomorrow night, Saturday, July 11 at 10 PM ET. Fight fans can order the pay per view through ESPN+ and receive a special offer: $84.98 for UFC 251 and an ESPN+ annual plan. ESPN+ subscribers can order the pay per view for $64.99.