UFC 251: Usman vs Masvidal - Predictions & Breakdown
- MMA News Now
- Jul 10, 2020
- 4 min read
By: Eagle Andersen
The fabled "Fight Island" makes it's debut this Saturday in what is sure to be a sensational card!
I am going to briefly breakdown each of these bouts and give you the most likely winner based their history. Each MMA News Now team member will also be offering their predictions.
Amanda Ribas (9-1) v Paige VanZant (8-4)
Amanda Ribas is one of the hottest prospects in MMA today. The Brazilian has looked impressive in nearly every UFC bout thus far and is hoping to host a coming out party this Saturday at the expense of VanZant. Ribas is an extremely well-rounded fighter and is the consensus favourite regardless of if the fight goes to the ground or stays standing.
Much of the casual MMA fanbase will be more familiar with VanZant due to her social media presence and her longer tenure in the UFC. Although she is more popular she doesn't have a resume or skillset that compares to Ribas. If Paige wants to get the win she will need to make the most of every opportunity and will likely need a finish.
Jessica Andrade (20-7) v Rose Namajunas (8-4)
This is one of the most intriguing female match-ups in quite some time. These two met last May in a title bout where Andrade came out on top. Since then Andrade has lost her title and Rose hasn't fought and had even discussed retirement. Now, over a year later during the biggest PPV of 2020, both ladies will get a chance at redemption.
In their first meeting, Rose was dominant and outclassed Andrade every step of the way. With that being said, this is the "fight game" and anything can happen. That was evident when Jessica used her superior strength to grab Rose off of the ground and slam her on her head resulting in a knockout win. If Rose can keep composure, we may see her outclass Andrade once again and take the decision if she can keep her mind off of retirement and on the fight at hand.
Petr Yan (14-1) v Jose Aldo (28-6)
At first glance this fight's result may seem to be set in stone. The UFC, their analysts and much of the MMA media paint Petr Yan as the next big thing at bantamweight. Don't get me wrong, Yan looks phenomenal on the feet and he has considerable power for a 135er. I'm just not sure if he has fully proven himself yet.
Yan's two biggest wins come against Jimmie Rivera and an older Urijah Faber during his second run. Against Rivera, Yan was arguably trailing on the scorecards if he didn't drop his opponent. When he took on Faber, Yan left himself open multiple times and took some hard shots from the vet. If he is going to be taking on a striker with the capabilities of Jose Aldo he will need to be extra careful while standing.
Aldo looked sharp in his bantamweight debut against Marlon Moraes. He wasn't able to earn the win on the judges' scorecards, the general consensus from the majority of fans and analysts was that he clearly deserved to have his hand raised. Aldo looked good and he will need to have that same demeanor at UFC 251 if he wants to wear UFC gold once again.
[c] Alexander Volkanovski (21-1) v Max Holloway (21-5)
This fight has intrigue written all over it. One of the greatest champions in UFC history, Max Holloway, will get his chance at redemption on Saturday in what'll likely be another fun striking affair.
In their first fight, Volkanovski just seemed quicker, sharper, stronger and overall just more effective in comparison to 'Blessed'. Volkanovski was the better man on that night and left with the featherweight strap firmly around his waist. Although gracious in defeat, Max did not feel that he deserved to lose his belt is still convinced that he should've been the winner in that fight. It will be interesting to see how that development plays into this rematch.
We are in the times of Covid and training for some UFC fighters is becoming a unique and new experience. This is especially true for Max Holloway. He claims that the only training he was able to do with his coaches was done through Zoom. This could be a mental game that Max is playing in an attempt to get inside of Volkanovski's head. Either way this is troubling news for Max Holloway fans.
[c] Kamaru Usman (16-1) v Jorge Masvidal (35-13)
This was one of those fights that fans have just be clamoring for since Masvidal put Askren to sleep and became the BMF champion. This fight has had so much speculation surrounding it but ironically came together on just over a week's notice. Gilbert Burns fell ill to Covid-19 and the UFC was forced to pay out for Masvidal in order to save the card.
Although Masvidal is one of the most popular fighters in the UFC and has had over 40 career MMA fights this is somehow his first UFC title opportunity (excluding the BMF belt). Gamebred will walk into fight island with a much shortened training camp however that may not affect him as much as fans might think.
Like I said earlier, Masvidal has over 40 fights on his record, whether he has a month, a week or a day to prepare, he will be ready to throw down. With that being said, the safest bet for him will be to try and get Usman out of there as early as possible.
If the fight goes passed the first round, it would be a safe bet to say that Usman has it in the bag. Usman's pace seems almost superhuman at times and I don't think it is that bold of a statement to say that he is the best welterweight since GSP. He will be looking to take Jorge to the ground and grind him into dust for five rounds straight.
Team Predictions:
Eagle's (@AndersenEagle) Picks | 25-10-0:
A. Ribas
R. Namajunas
J. Aldo
A. Volkanovski
K. Usman
Mason's Picks | 24-11-0:
Buck's (@Nerd_MMA) Picks | 22-13-0:
A. Ribas
J. Andrade
J. Aldo
M. Holloway
J. Masvidal
Aiden's (@DownToTheWire6) Picks | 23-12-0:
A. Ribas
R. Namajunas P. Yan
A. Volkanovski
K. Usman
Joe's (@UngerJos) Picks | 22-8-0:
A. Ribas
J. Andrade
J. Aldo
A. Volkanovski
J. Masvidal
Twitter Polls:
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