Kamaru Usman

After UFC 263, should Leon Edwards take another fight or wait for his title shot?

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Leon Edwards

On the main card of UFC 263, we saw a welterweight showdown between Leon Edwards (19-3, 1 NC) and Nate Diaz (20-13). The fight between these two was the first five-round non-title fight that wasn’t a main event.

For the first 24 minutes of the fight at UFC 263, Leon Edwards showed why he’s so special. Edwards was able to use his leg kicks, elbows, and sweeps to completely dominate Nate Diaz. Diaz landed shots here and there, but it was all Leon Edwards.

However, with one minute left, the fight completely changed. Diaz fired a perfect 1-2 down the middle that completely rocked Leon Edwards. Edwards was on wobbly legs and needed the fence to stay up. Diaz tried to finish the fight and Edwards barely survived.

Edwards still looked a little dazed after the final bell at UFC 263. However, all of the work he had done over the first 24 minutes paid off. Leon Edwards won 49-46 on all three scorecards to pick up the biggest win of his career.

What does Leon Edwards do after UFC 263?

With this victory, Leon Edwards is now 9-0, 1 NC in his last ten fights. The last man to defeat him inside the octagon is the current UFC welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman (19-1). Leon Edwards has done enough to earn himself a title shot against Usman.

However, he’s not going to be next for the champion. Dana White has made it very clear that Colby Covington (16-2) is getting the next shot at Kamaru Usman. At the moment, the promotion is targeting late summer/early fall for that rematch.

With that, it’s very likely that Leon Edwards wouldn’t get his UFC title shot until the beginning of 2022. So, should Edwards wait or should he take another fight? I personally lean towards him taking another fight and there’s one fight that he should take.

I think the promotion should book him against Jorge Masvidal (35-15). There’s heat between the two men after their backstage incident in 2019 and Masvidal just fought for the title. Leon Edwards didn’t really get over in his win at UFC 263. He could use a highlight reel performance against another star to help build up his stock before a title shot.

That said, Edwards has been very vocal about wanting the title shot next. He might need some convincing to take a fight with Masvidal, but ultimately, I think it would be the best thing for him.

Despite Leon Edwards’ win at UFC 263, Colby Covington still next for the title

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This past Saturday on the main card of UFC 263, top welterweight contender Leon Edwards (19-3, 1 NC) took on Nate Diaz (20-13). The two men fought in the first non-title and non-main event five-round fight in UFC history.

Edwards put on an incredible performance for the majority of the fight. He used a steady diet of leg kicks, sweeps, and elbows to get the better of Nate Diaz. However, late in the fight, Diaz landed a shot that almost changed everything.

Through 24 minutes, Leon Edwards was dominant. Then, with a minute to go in the fight, Diaz landed a beautiful 1-2 that almost put Edwards out. Edwards looked out on his feet, but was able to survive the last sixty seconds. That shot lands at the beginning of the round at UFC 263 and Nate Diaz likely wins that fight.

However, Edwards survived and got the decision win. With that victory, Edwards is now 9-0, 1 NC in his last ten fights. The one No Contest was a fight he was dominating but ended due to an accidental eye poke to Belal Muhammad. It would’ve likely been another victory for Edwards.

Having gone on this impressive streak, Leon Edwards is wanting a UFC title shot. However, it doesn’t appear that he’s getting it next. Dana White reiterated after the event that Colby Covington (16-2) is next for Kamaru Usman (19-1). Covington also confirmed that with Submission Radio today. 

UFC booking the rematch between Usman and Covington

The UFC has never wavered in their plans for the welterweight title. After Kamaru Usman knocked out Jorge Masvidal, Dana White made it very clear that Colby Covington would be next. Many wondered if that would still be the case after UFC 263.

While the fight still isn’t booked, the UFC has reiterated to Covington and the public that Colby Covington is next. Kamaru Usman’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, tweeted out that Leon Edwards should be next given his current streak.

However, that is not what the UFC is pushing for. Usman and his manager have been vocal about the fact that Colby Covington doesn’t deserve another shot. That said, what hurts his argument is the fact that he gave Masvidal a rematch despite Masvidal staying inactive after Usman defeated him the first time.

At the moment, there appears to be no momentum in booking this fight. However, I think it’s going to come together rather quickly. If I had to guess, I think September or October is likely for the rematch between Usman and Covington. Yes, Leon Edwards is deserving, but it’s not the fight that should be made next.

UFC: Colby Covington says Kamaru Usman doing everything he can to avoid their rematch

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When you think about the next UFC welterweight title fight, there is really only one fight that makes sense. There is one fight that needs to be made and that’s the fight that should be made.

That fight is the rematch between the champion Kamaru Usman (19-1) and the former interim champion Colby Covington (16-2). The two men previously fought back at UFC 245 and it was one of the best welterweight title fights of all time.

Personally, I had the fight 2-2 going into the final round. One judge had Covington up 3-1, one judge had Usman up 3-1, and the third judge had it tied at 2-2. The final round was going to decide the fight, but if it would’ve hit the cards, it would have been a split decision either way.

Ultimately, Usman dropped Covington at UFC 245 and the referee called a stop to the action and the stoppage was immediately protested by Covington. I can see both sides of the argument. It looked like a fair stoppage, but in the final round of a title fight, I’d like to have seen it go a bit longer.

Regardless, Kamaru Usman would’ve won at UFC 245 given his performance in the final round. Usman has since defended his title three times and Covington has a dominant win over Tyron Woodley. Dana White has said the rematch is next, but there’s been a delay in the process and we still don’t have a date for it.

What’s delaying the UFC in finalizing this rematch?

In speaking with Helen Yee Sports this week, Colby Covington has said that he’s told the UFC he’s ready to go whenever. Covington said, “There’s been an offer. Dana and Hunter Campbell know that I’ve agreed. I said, ‘Whenever you want. It doesn’t matter, I’m ready’.”

White has also hinted that Covington has been eager to getting this fight finalized. With that said, the delay is coming from Kamaru Usman’s camp. Why is this fight taking so long to come together? Well, I personally think there are a couple of factors.

There is a very strong hatred between Usman’s camp and Colby Covington. The UFC champion’s manager has said that Covington doesn’t deserve to fight for the title next. Usman was willing to fight Michael Chiesa next, but still hasn’t accepted the Covington rematch.

There’s also speculation that Usman is waiting for UFC 263. Next weekend, Nate Diaz and Leon Edwards will fight in a five-round fight. Whoever wins that will be squarely in the title picture. If Nate Diaz wins, that becomes a big money fight for the UFC champion.

Let me be clear, I don’t think Kamaru Usman is ducking Colby Covington. However, I do believe that he understands that Covington is by far his toughest fight at 170 pounds. Usman would be the favorite, but no matter how you slice it, it’s a very tough fight.

If he gets the chance to make a ton of money fighting Nate Diaz, I think he’d prefer doing that before fighting Covington again. However, I ultimately believe the UFC is going to force their hand in this one. No matter what happens next week, I fully expect Colby Covington to get the next title shot.

UFC: Jorge Masvidal says he ‘has to’ fight again in 2021; Interested in potential Nick Diaz matchup

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This past Saturday at UFC 261, Jorge Masvidal (35-15) suffered his first knockout loss inside the octagon. The man who handed him that loss is also the man who has now beat Gamebred twice in a row, Kamaru Usman (19-1).

The knockout loss was the first time that someone has put Masvidal to sleep with strikes. We have seen Masvidal briefly floored before, but never has anyone completely shut the lights out. Kamaru Usman did just that at UFC 261.

Now, Masvidal is left wondering what’s next. Gamebred sat down with ESPN’s Ariel Helwani today to talk about the fight and what the future holds for him. Make no mistake about it, while he’s hurting emotionally, Gamebred isn’t going anywhere.

“I’ll definitely fight again this year. I have to…As it was, if it wasn’t for this suspension and this knockout, I would’ve been fighting three or four times this year. It’s something I wanted to do. If I can at least get one more fight this year, I’ll be happy.”

It’s clear that Masvidal is still going to be a factor in the UFC‘s welterweight division. He also told Helwani that he wants to wait to call out his opponent because he wants to call out someone realistic based on the welterweight landscape. Although, when asked about Nick Diaz (26-9, 2 NC), Gamebred said he would be down.

UFC Future for Masvidal

Nick Diaz was in attendance at UFC 261 and Dana White said after the fights that Diaz wanted to return to the octagon. In fact, they were meeting after the event was over. When Helwani asked about Diaz, Masvidal said he would definitely be interested.

“Definitely, Nick is a stud. (If) Nick wants to throw down, I’m more than willing to throw down. Like I said, I’m going to do it on my time. If Nick wants to fight near the end of this year, what can I say, I’m here. If you wanna do right by your brother, let’s go.”

After Masvidal defeated Nick’s younger brother Nate at UFC 244, Nick Diaz told Ariel Helwani that he wanted to get that fight back for his family. He wasn’t happy with the words Masvidal used following the win and he wanted to fight him.

Of course, at one point in the past, it looked like the UFC was putting that fight together. Dana White broke the news to reporters that the UFC was close to finalizing Nick Diaz – Jorge Masvidal at UFC 235 back in 2018.

Of course, the deal fell apart and the fight never happened. Gamebred went on to fight Darren Till and the rest is history. However, with Diaz setting up to return and Masvidal needing an opponent, perhaps the fight makes sense.

Time will tell, but I’d say that Nick Diaz is definitely in the running for Gamebred’s next fight.

After UFC 261, the table is set for Kamaru Usman – Colby Covington 2

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This past Saturday at UFC 261, Kamaru Usman (19-1) defended his title against Jorge Masvidal (35-15). The fight was a rematch from last July when Kamaru Usman defeated Masvidal by decision on Fight Island.

That fight was put together on short notice and due to the way the fight went, both men wanted to run things back with a full camp. UFC 261 had a drastically different outcome but with the same winner.

To the surprise of many, Kamaru Usman knocked Masvidal out cold on the feet. Heading into UFC 261, everyone thought that Masvidal would have the striking advantage. However, Usman put him away doing what Masvidal does best.

With the Gamebred chapter closed, it’s on to another rematch for Kamaru Usman. Before last weekend’s PPV, Dana White said that Colby Covington (16-2) would be next in line for the UFC welterweight title. 

White reiterated these comments in his post-fight press conference. While Usman talked around the rematch, it’s clear that the fight between the two top welterweight is what’s next for the UFC.

When will the UFC make it happen?

White didn’t have a timeline for the UFC welterweight title fight, but Colby Covington has come out and said there is no reason to delay it. Usman came out of the fight last Saturday unscathed and Covington is ready to go.

Realistically, I think the UFC will put this fight together in either August or September and you can expect a heated buildup. In my opinion, these are the two best welterweights in the world and there first fight was extremely competitive.

Back at UFC 245 in December of 2019, these two met in the headliner. The fight was extremely close and watching it back, I had it 2-2 going into the fifth round. The judges had it 2-2, 3-1 Usman, 3-1 Covington.

The fifth round was going to decide the winner and Usman got the TKO to retain his welterweight title. Even if that stoppage doesn’t happen and Covington survives, Usman would have won a split decision at UFC 245.

I’m expecting the rematch to be just as competitive. Colby Covington and Gilbert Burns are really the only welterweights that I see giving Usman trouble. I don’t want to include Leon Edwards yet until I see him a bit more active. That said, the rematch between these two is going to be something to behold whenever the UFC gets it finalized.

UFC: Conor McGregor eyes 2021 lightweight run before going after the welterweight title

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Conor McGregor, UFC

The biggest star in the UFC wants to become a champ-champ again. However, this time, Conor McGregor (22-5) is eyeing the lightweight title and the welterweight strap. The Notorious one wants to be the first man with a title in three weight divisions.

At least, that’s what the former two-division champion posted on Twitter. McGregor was very active on social media during UFC 261. This past Saturday we saw Kamaru Usman (19-1) knock Jorge Masvidal (35-15) out to retain the welterweight title.

After the fight was over, McGregor unveiled his plans for 2021 and 2022. We all know that the next step for McGregor is the trilogy with Dustin Poirier (27-6, 1 NC). The two men are headlining UFC 264 in Las Vegas in July.

Whoever wins that matchup will likely be the next in line for the lightweight title. At UFC 262, Michael Chandler (22-5) and Charles Oliveira (30-8) are fighting for the vacant lightweight title.

If McGregor is able to defeat Poirier in July, it will likely setup his lightweight title fight for the end of the year. That is a big if, but McGregor is certainly capable of winning. If he does capture the title, it’s off to the UFC‘s welterweight division for McGregor.

UFC future for McGregor

Conor McGregor is no stranger to making bold claims that make most people roll their eyes. When he first came into the UFC, he vowed that he would become the featherweight and lightweight champion.

While most thought he would never capture even the featherweight title, McGregor did what he said and became a two-division champion. After that, he turned his attention to Floyd Mayweather. Again, most rolled their eyes at the thought of McGregor securing a boxing match with Floyd.

Yet, McGregor did just that. Back in January, McGregor suffered his first knockout loss in the UFC at the hands of Dustin Poirier. McGregor is very confident he will win the third fight between the two men.

While the odds at UFC 264 should favor Poirier, McGregor has always proved he can beat the odds. I actually like McGregor’s odds against Chandler and Oliveira more than Poirier so him capturing the lightweight title is extremely possible should he win in July.

However, the 170 talk is where I take a step back. Conor McGregor is great for the UFC and business. However, I really think he should strongly consider staying at 155 pounds if he was to ever win the title again.

Kamaru Usman is a massive welterweight and with his improved striking, I don’t know how McGregor can defeat him. There are certainly welterweight matchups where McGregor could succeed, however, Kamaru Usman is not one of them.

At the end of the day, McGregor always aims for the highest of highs and you have to admire that. Whether his UFC claims are crazy or not, he’s always proven in the past that you should never doubt him. July is a massive test, but if he can win, the sky is truly the limit again for McGregor.

After getting knocked out at UFC 261, what’s next for Jorge Masvidal?

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This past Saturday at UFC 261, we got to see the rematch between Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal (35-15) and Kamaru Usman (19-1). The two men ran things back after Usman won a decision last July at UFC 251.

Because the first fight was on short notice, there were a lot of questions around whether Usman could beat Gamebred when Masvidal had a full camp. Saturday night, we got the answer to those questions.

Going into UFC 261, the thought was that if the fight was on the feet, Masvidal would have a massive advantage. Masvidal has some of if not the best boxing in the UFC‘s welterweight division.

Usman of course is known for his grappling and his pressure. However, in recent fights, we’ve seen Kamaru Usman drastically improve his striking under new head coach Trevor Wittman.

At UFC 261, Usman was always one step ahead of Masvidal even on the feet. His straight shots were always landing first all night. Gamebred really couldn’t get anything going offensively outside of some decent leg kicks.

Just over a minute into the first round, Usman unleashed a right straight that sent sweat flying and Masvidal to the canvas. The UFC‘s BMF was knocked out cold in a manner that shocked everyone watching.

What’s next after UFC 261?

Make no mistake about it, Masvidal’s reputation and star power took a major hit on Saturday night. Obviously, Masvidal has lost a lot in his career and this won’t be the end, but it definitely takes a ton of steam off of him in getting knocked out like that.

In hindsight, Masvidal should have taken the UFC’s offer to coach TUF against Colby Covington. Even if Masvidal lost to Covington, he wouldn’t have lost in the fashion that he did on Saturday night.

Nevertheless, Masvidal got another UFC title shot and you can’t blame him for going after that. So the question becomes, what’s next for Masvidal? Well, I think for that we look at UFC 262.

In a few weeks, Nate Diaz (20-12) and Leon Edwards (18-3, 1 NC) are co-headlining the card. I think you pair Masvidal with one of those two. If Edwards wins, I can’t see him taking the Masvidal fight now. He’ll likely wait for the winner of Usman/Covington.

So, I think the UFC should pair Masvidal with Nate Diaz whether he wins or loses or pair him with Edwards if he loses. Both of those fights would sell well considering the history that Gamebred has with both men.

While his star power took a hit, I don’t think this is the end for Masvidal. He is still definitely a draw and with the right pairing, I think the UFC will do very well the next time Masvidal is on the marquee.

Kamaru Usman knocks Jorge Masvidal out cold at UFC 261

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In the main event of UFC 261, we saw the rematch the world has been waiting for. The welterweight champion of the world Kamaru Usman (18-1) took on Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal (35-14). These two men first met last year at UFC 251.

That night Kamaru Usman walked away with a decision victory. However, the circumstances surrounding the matchup have created doubt in who is truly the better man. When 2020 started, the UFC was trying to book the welterweight title fight between Usman and Masvidal.

However, after contract negotiations went south with Masvidal, the UFC shifted to Gilbert Burns. A week before the fight, Burns tested positive for COVID and the UFC went back to Masvidal. The fight was on six days notice which has created a lot of doubt around the outcome of the first fight.

Could Kamaru Usman beat Gamebred when Masvidal has a full camp? These doubts and questions are why the UFC champion called Masvidal out after his last fight. Despite winning the first fight, Usman wasn’t happy with the decision. With that, tonight’s rematch came into focus.

UFC 261 Recap

Round 1

The UFC 261 main event started unsurprisingly with no touch of the gloves. Masvidal moves forward with pressure and takes the center of the cage. Usman looks to land his jab early. A couple of low kicks land for Jorge Masvidal. Masvidal very light on his feet early.

Usman pushes forward and lands a very solid right straight. Masvidal smiles but that was a big shot from the UFC champion. Solid body shot lands for Usman. Body kick and a left hook lands for Masvidal. Another big shot lands for Masvidal, but Usman lands a big takedown.

Halfway through the round and Usman goes to work inside Gamebred’s guard. Masvidal looking to land elbows from his back, but the pressure is heavy from Usman. Big elbow lands for Kamaru Usman. Masvidal lands some back elbows and uses the fence to stand up.

Masvidal is able to separate with one minute left. A huge right hand and power jab land for the UFC champion. Two huge leg kicks land for Masvidal. Masvidal blitzes and lands a couple of good shots. The round comes to a close and it’s 1-0 Usman at UFC 261.

Round 2

The second round begins and Masvidal goes back to the leg kicks. The UFC champion appears to be trying to time a big shot early in the second. Another good kick for Masvidal connects. Masvidal swings wild and Usman counters with a massive right hand. Another huge right hand lands for Usman and Gamebred is out cold. Case closed, Kamaru Usman is the best in the world.

Kamaru Usman def. Jorge Masvidal by KO – Round 2

UFC 261 Preview: Kamaru Usman – Jorge Masvidal 2

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Tomorrow night in the main event of UFC 261, we will see the rematch that the world has been buzzing about. Undisputed welterweight champion Kamaru Usman (18-1) will be defending his title against the UFC‘s BMF Jorge Masvidal (35-14).

As mentioned, this is the second time that these two men have locked horns. The first time came back at UFC 251. Going into 2020, the UFC was trying to book Usman against Masvidal. However, the fight never came together and eventually the promotion pulled the plug.

Gilbert Burns stepped in to fight Usman. However, after Burns tested positive for COVID, the UFC went back to Gamebred and he accepted the fight on six days notice. The six days notice is what this entire rematch is built around. Kamaru Usman won a lopsided decision last year against Masvidal.

However, since the fight was on short notice at UFC 251, there is a legit argument for Masvidal not being at his best. With those doubts, Kamaru Usman wanted to run this fight back to show the world he can beat Masvidal even with a full camp. At UFC 261 we will truly find out who is the better man.

UFC 261 Prediction

When these two first fought back at UFC 251, Kamaru Usman struggled to get Masvidal to the mat with his wrestling. However, his clinch control work is what won him the lopsided decision. Masvidal simply couldn’t keep Usman off of him.

If Masvidal is going to win the UFC welterweight title tomorrow, he has to keep this fight at distance. We’ve seen a ton of improvement from Usman in the striking game, however, I believe he’s going to be at a sizable disadvantage tomorrow night on the feet.

That said, I look for Usman to work off of his jab to force clinches and takedown attempts. If Usman can control Masvidal, he’s going to win this rematch. However, if Masvidal keeps this a striking matchup, that’s where things get truly interesting.

Ultimately, I think Masvidal is going to need a knockout to become UFC welterweight champion. I can’t see him winning a decision over Kamaru Usman. I believe that Usman is going to get the better of the grappling and even with a full camp, I don’t see Gamebred beating The Nigerian Nightmare tomorrow night.

Prediction: Kamaru Usman by Unanimous Decision

UFC: Colby Covington is next in line for the title per Dana White

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UFC, Colby Covington

This weekend at UFC 261, the welterweight title is on the line. The champion Kamaru Usman (18-1) is set to defend his title against Jorge Masvidal (35-14). This is a rematch from a fight that happened last year. That matchup took place at UFC 251 on Fight Island.

When 2020 started, the UFC was trying to put together the title fight between Usman and Masvidal. However, due to failed financial negotiations, the fight never came together. Instead, the UFC had Gilbert Burns step in to face Usman on Fight Island.

A week before the fight, Burns tested positive for COVID. With Burns having tested positive, the UFC went back to Masvidal on short notice. Usman would go on to defeat Masvidal by decision, but there have been a lot of questions around that matchup due to the short notice nature.

When 2021 started, the UFC was trying to book Masvidal against Colby Covington (16-2). Covington is the top ranked contender in the welterweight division and only Usman has defeated him over the last few years. There is bad blood between Covington and Masvidal which is why the promotion was pushing for the fight.

However, after Kamaru Usman called for the fight with Masvidal to be ran back, the UFC shifted gears. They abandoned the Covington fight and booked the rematch between Usman and Masvidal. While Covington was left without a dance partner, that will not be the case for long per Dana White.

UFC title shot for Covington

This week, Dana White told TSN that Colby Covington would be facing the winner of the UFC 261 title fight between Usman and Masvidal. Both fights make perfect sense for Colby Covington. He’s got bad blood with Masvidal and a rematch with Usman would be massive.

Usman and Covington fought back at UFC 245. It was one of the fights of the year in 2019. The fight was an instant classic and Usman won by fifth round TKO. Since that win, Covington got a win over Tyron Woodley while Usman has defeated Masvidal and Gilbert Burns.

Colby Covington had previously said that he would be preparing to be the backup for this weekend’s main event. However, we now know that the UFC is planning on him getting the next title shot. So, instead of Covington preparing to fight this weekend, he can prepare to study his next opponent.