Tag: UFC 261

UFC 261 predictions: Are we picking any upsets in the three title fights?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC 261 main card in Jacksonville, Fla.

Usman
vs.
Masvidal		 Weili
vs.
Namajunas		 Shevchenko
vs.
Andrade		 Hall
vs.
Weidman		 Crute
vs.
Smith
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2021: 46-29		 usman2021
Usman
(71%)		 weili2021
Weili
(57%)		 shevchenko2021
Shevchenko
(91%)		 hall2021
Hall
(64%)		 crute2021
Crute
(63%)
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2021: 49-26		 usman2021
Usman		 weili2021
Weili		 shevchenko2021
Shevchenko		 hall2021
Hall		 crute2021
Crute
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2021: 48-27
trophy copy 2018 Champion		 usman2021
Usman		 weili2021
Weili		 shevchenko2021
Shevchenko		 hall2021
Hall		 crute2021
Crute
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2021: 47-28		 usman2021
Usman		 weili2021
Weili		 shevchenko2021
Shevchenko		 weidman2021
Weidman		 smith2021
Smith
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2021: 47-28		 usman2021
Usman		 weili2021
Weili		 shevchenko2021
Shevchenko		 hall2021
Hall		 crute2021
Crute
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2021: 47-28		 masvidal2021
Masvidal		 namajunas2021
Namajunas		 shevchenko2021
Shevchenko		 hall2021
Hall		 smith2021
Smith
Nolan King
@mma_kings
2021: 45-30		 usman2021
Usman		 namajunas2021
Namajunas		 shevchenko2021
Shevchenko		 hall2021
Hall		 crute2021
Crute
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2021: 45-30
trophy copy 2017 Champion		 masvidal2021
Masvidal		 namajunas2021
Namajunas		 shevchenko2021
Shevchenko		 hall2021
Hall		 smith2021
Smith
Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2021: 44-31
trophy copy 2020 Champion		 usman2021
Usman		 weili2021
Weili		 shevchenko2021
Shevchenko		 hall2021
Hall		 crute2021
Crute
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2021: 43-32		 usman2021
Usman		 weili2021
Weili		 shevchenko2021
Shevchenko		 hall2021
Hall		 crute2021
Crute
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2021: 42-33		 usman2021
Usman		 weili2021
Weili		 shevchenko2021
Shevchenko		 hall2021
Hall		 crute2021
Crute
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2021: 41-34
trophy copy 2014 Champion		 usman2021
Usman		 weili2021
Weili		 shevchenko2021
Shevchenko		 hall2021
Hall		 smith2021
Smith
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2021: 39-36		 usman2021
Usman		 namajunas2021
Namajunas		 shevchenko2021
Shevchenko		 hall2021
Hall		 crute2021
Crute
BetMGM
Betting Favorites		 usman2021
Usman -400		 weili2021
Weili -200		 shevchenko2021
Shevchenko -500		 weidman2021
Weidman -125		 crute2021
Crute -200

The UFC is back in front of a full arena of fans for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic shut things down, and there are three title fights atop the card.

UFC 261 takes place Saturday at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

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In the main event, welterweight champion [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 13-0 UFC) takes on [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] (35-14 MMA, 12-7 UFC) in a rematch from 2020. Usman is a heavy favorite at -400 at BetMGM, and he’s got a big 10-2 lead in the picks from our 12 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts.

In the co-feature, women’s strawweight champ [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] (21-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) puts her title on the line against former champ [autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag] (9-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC). Weili is the smallest favorite among the champions, but still sits at -200. She has doubled up on Namajunas in our picks at 8-4.

And in the third title fight, women’s flyweight champ [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] (20-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) is a 5-1 favorite against former strawweight champion and now 125-pound challenger [autotag]Jessica Andrade[/autotag] (21-8 MMA, 12-6 UFC). Shevchenko is our only unanimous pick on the card at 12-0.

Also on the main card, [autotag]Uriah Hall[/autotag] (16-9 MMA, 9-7 UFC) takes on former middleweight champion [autotag]Chris Weidman[/autotag] (15-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC). And though the odds have shifted from Hall as a slight favorite to Weidman as a slight favorite at -125, our pickers are going with Hall at a big 11-1 clip.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Jimmy Crute[/autotag] (12-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) takes on former light heavyweight title challenger [autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag] (34-16 MMA, 9-6 UFC). Crute is a 2-1 favorite and has an 8-4 picks lead.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Usman (71 percent), Weili (57 percent), Shevchenko (91 percent), Hall (64 percent) and Crute (63 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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Jon Anik defends Joe Rogan’s spot as UFC commentator: ‘I think he’s going to outlast me’

Jon Anik says the UFC would be a different place – for worse – if Joe Rogan wasn’t around.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jon Anik says the UFC would be a different place – for the worse – if Joe Rogan wasn’t around.

Over the past several months, Rogan has been the recipient of much fan criticism for his approach to commentary on UFC pay-per-view broadcasts. The comedian and podcast host first appeared on UFC television more than 20 years ago and has been a constant presence in the commentary booth for more than a decade.

Anik, who will serve as the play-by-play lead with color commentators Rogan and Daniel Cormier for Saturday’s UFC 261 pay-per-view, doesn’t think his partner is going anywhere, though. He said he thinks Rogan is in it for the long haul.

“It feels much bigger when he’s there, there’s no doubt about it,” Anik told reporters, including MMA Junkie, on Friday following UFC 261 official weigh-ins. “He brings a special dynamic to our broadcast booth that I’m not really sure anybody else can bring. There are a lot of these guys that are comedic, but he is the total package. There’s no doubt about it. I think he’s going to outlast me, though.

“There are rumblings, ‘Oh, Rogan’s got one foot out the door.’ He’s doing our domestic pay-per-views right now. He hasn’t travelled internationally as long as I’ve been doing the pay-per-views, but I don’t think he’s going anywhere. That’s not informed speculation, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he outlasts me, to be honest with you.”

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Anik is thrilled to once again work alongside Rogan at UFC 261 and said it will be a special night on commentary. After months of a social distancing setup cageside, the commentary team will once again sit shoulder-to-shoulder at the same table for this weekend’s card at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, which streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+, and he said it will feel like old times.

“I think that’s the most exciting thing for me is to be able to have my broadcast partners right there,” Anik said. “If I need to get a promo in, I can actually tough Joe Rogan’s arm instead of having to rely on the truck to cut their mics or get them to lay out.”

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Megan Olivi was ‘genuinely so hurt’ by Stephen A. Smith leaving her out of praise for UFC broadcast

Megan Olivi was bothered by Stephen A. Smith forgetting to mention her when praising the talent on UFC broadcasts.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Megan Olivi was bothered by Stephen A. Smith forgetting to mention her when recently praising the talent on UFC broadcasts.

Following UFC 260 in March, ESPN talking head Smith put out a tweet giving credit to the quality of the UFC on-air talent. However, there was one notable absence: Olivi (via Twitter):

Forgive me for bragging, but we’ve got the best @ufc coverage in the world on ESPN+. Ya got @dc_mma, @joerogan & @Jon_Anik cage side. @ChaelSonnen & @bisping providing color. My bro @michaeleaves Hosting post-fight coverage and @bokamotoESPN & @arielhelwani always on scene. 🔥🔥🔥

It was noticeable that Olivi was left out, and she took exception to it with a response to Smith, who has ruffled the feathers of the MMA community on multiple occasions before (via Twitter):

Ummm hey there – you’re forgetting someone 😃

Although it’s been roughly a month since the incident occurred, Olivi said it’s still resonating strongly with her. She felt slighted by being the only reoccurring member of the UFC pay-per-view broadcast team to not be mentioned in Smith’s tweet and said it messed with her emotions.

“That was actually tough for me,” Olivi told reporters, including MMA Junkie, during a Q&A following Friday’s UFC 261 weigh-ins. “I don’t love social media in general, but then to play such a big role in terms of pre- and post-fight interviews, like, I’m the one onsite doing them. Then to do all the hits on the broadcast and be a part of this team and literally the only women on the pay-per-view team – there’s no other desk host, there’s no one on the pre- or post-show. It’s literally just me. And I’ve worked to be here. I wasn’t handed this. It’s been a very long journey, as people who have seen me 10 years ago I’m sure can attest to. I’ve done everything the right way to get here, and to not get the acknowledgement as my male colleagues got, I genuinely was so hurt. It was nice to see the MMA community have my back on that.”

Olivi said she doesn’t think there was intended malice attached to Smith’s tweet. He’s been criticized before for his lack of in-depth education of the MMA game, and Olivi speculated this scenario could be part of his tweet.

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“It’s unfortunately something the women in this room have dealt with before and will have to continue to deal with,” Olivi said. “I don’t think he did it on purpose. I don’t think there was any (bad) intent. I don’t think he was trying to be rude by any means. I just think it didn’t really matter to him. … I don’t know how much he actually watched. I know he’s supposed to be an MMA insider and he does his best, but he has a lot on his plate, as well. I don’t know how much he actually sees. … I don’t want to make it about me and be like, ‘I don’t know how much he noticed me.’ I just don’t think he was genuinely paying attention.

“I also wonder if he was helped with the tweet, if maybe it was just, ‘OK, here are the people on the broadcast.’ Because I don’t know if he knows everyone on the broadcast, in general. So, it’s difficult to be overlooked and not take it personally. I’ve tried not to, and I’ve tried to use it as a moment – I don’t want to say a learning moment – but for me to just realize you go on whether people notice you or not. I think what I do is important, especially when I can tell the stories of these athletes.”

Ultimately, Olivi said she’ll continue to do her thing on the UFC broadcasts going forward. As MMA Junkie previously reported, she’ll be the roving reporter for the UFC 261 broadcast on Saturday at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.

Olivi clearly holds some resentment toward Smith, however, and she said she’s hopeful that he’ll eventually make things right.

“Funny enough, Stephen A. Smith and I have had nice conversations in person,” Olivi said. “It would be nice if he was like one day like, ‘Oh sh*t,’ I didn’t see this. But I don’t think that’s the character we’re dealing with.'”

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UFC 261: Jorge Masvidal vs. Kamaru Usman 2, full card odds

A look at the odds ahead of Saturday.

UFC 261 is nearly upon us, and we’ve got you nearly set for the full fight on Saturday, April 24 from Jacksonville, Fla.

There’s how to watch on ESPN+, a look at the full card, and three reasons to watch.

Now we’ve got a look at the odds for the full card, from the early prelims to the undercard to the main bouts that include a strawweight fight between Zhang Weili and Rose Namajunas, and the welterweight title rematch between Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal.

Here’s a look at all the odds as we all prepare for Saturday’s fights (all bets courtesy of BetMGM):

  • Kamaru Usman (-400) vs. Jorge Masvidal (+310)
  • Weili Zhang (-200) vs. Rose Namajunas (+170)
  • Valentina Shevchenko (-500) vs. Jessica Andrade (+350)
  • Uriah Hall (+105) vs. Chris Weidman (-125)
  • Anthony Smith (+165) vs. Jim Crute (-200)
  • Alex Oliveira (+130) vs. Randy Brown (-155)
  • Dwight Grant (-225) vs. Stefan Sekulic (+185)
  • Karl Roberson (+135) vs. Brendan Allen (-160)
  • Patrick Sabatini (-250) vs. Tristan Connelly (+210)
  • Danaa Batgerel (-190) vs. Kevin Natividad (+160)
  • Kazula Vargas (+200) vs. Zhu Rong (-250)
  • Qileng Aori (-110) vs. Jeffrey Molina (-110)
  • Na Liang (-225) vs. Ariane Carnelossi (+180)

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UFC 261 video: Valentina Shevchenko, Jessica Andrade make weight for title fight

The women’s flyweight title fight between Valentina Shevchenko and Jessica Andrade at UFC 261 is official.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The women’s flyweight title fight between [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] and [autotag]Jessica Andrade[/autotag] at UFC 261 is locked in.

Dominant titleholder Shevchenko (20-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) and decorated challenger Andrade (21-8 MMA, 12-6 UFC) both successfully made weight on Friday morning at official weigh-ins.

Shevchenko looked sharp as usual, hitting the scale at 124.5 pounds. Andrade also hit the championship limit at 124.5 pounds.

The fight will mark Shevchenko’s fifth attempted title defense after winning the belt in December. Former strawweight champion Andrade, meanwhile, will try to become the eighth female in company history to claim belts in two divisions.

Shevchenko and Andrade are scheduled for a final staredown on Friday night at the UFC 261 ceremonial weigh-ins, then they’ll battle for the belt Saturday at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.

UFC 261’s main card streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

UFC 261 video: Kamaru Usman, Jorge Masvidal make weight for title rematch

Watch video highlights of Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal making weight for their UFC 261 title rematch.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The UFC 261 rematch between [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] and Jorge Masvidal is official.

The champion Usman (18-1 MMA, 13-0 UFC) and the challenger Masvidal (35-14 MMA, 12-7 UFC) both made weight on Friday morning, and now only hours sit between them and a second clash for the UFC welterweight title.

Usman tipped the scales at 170 pounds, weighing in 13 minutes after the 9:00 a.m. ET session began. Masvidal, meanwhile, registered at 170 pounds, coming into the room first of anyone.

Although both men successfully made weight for their first matchup at UFC 251 in July 2020, which Usman won by unanimous decision, there was a noticeable difference this time around.

Masvidal took the first bout with Usman on six days’ notice, and claimed he had to cut 26 pounds during fight week in order to make weight. He was given roughly six weeks’ notice for the rematch, and “Gamebred” looked noticeable more energetic when he stepped on the scale.

Usman and Masvidal will get a final look at each other on Friday night with a faceoff at the UFC 261 ceremonial weigh-ins, then they will run it back inside the octagon Saturday at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.

UFC 261’s main card streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v9-IHLM8fM

UFC 261 video: Weili Zhang, Rose Namajunas make weight for strawweight title bout

Watch Zhang Weili and Rose Namajunas step on the scale to make their UFC 261 strawweight title fight official.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The highly anticipated strawweight title fight between [autotag]Weili Zhang[/autotag] and [autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag] at UFC 261 is official.

Current champ Zhang (21-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) and former titleholder Namajunas (9-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) both successfully made weight on Friday morning, and now the stage is set.

Zhang weighed in first between the duo, coming in at 114.5 pounds. Namajunas weighed in after her at 114.5 pounds.

The fight will mark Zhang’s second attempted title defense after she beat Joanna Jedrzejczyk in the 2020 “Fight of the Year.” Namajunas, meanwhile, will try to regain the belt she lost in May 2019.

Zhang and Namajunas will face off one last time on Friday night at the UFC 261 ceremonial weigh-ins, then they’ll battle for the belt Saturday at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.

UFC 261’s main card streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pec151zpPwE

UFC 261 weigh-in results and live video stream (9 a.m. ET)

Check out the results from the official UFC 261 fighter weigh-ins, featuring three title fights in Jacksonville, Fla.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Friday’s official UFC 261 fighter weigh-ins, which kick off at 9 a.m. ET (6 a.m. PT).

The early weigh-ins take place at the UFC host hotel in Jacksonville, Fla., and precede the ceremonial weigh-ins for the fans, which take place at 4 p.m. ET at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville. The same arena hosts Saturday’s event, which has a main card on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

Among those weighing in are former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman (18-1 MMA, 13-0 UFC) and Jorge Masvidal (35-14 MMA, 12-7 UFC), who meet in a rematch in the main event; women’s strawweight champ Zhang Weili (21-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) and former titleholder Rose Namajunas (9-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC), who fight in the co-feature; and women’s flyweight champ Valentina Shevchenko (20-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) and former 115-pound champ Jessica Andrade (21-8 MMA, 12-6 UFC), who will clash in a third title fight.

The full UFC 261 weigh-in results include:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Champ Kamaru Usman () vs. Jorge Masvidal () – for welterweight title
  • Champ Zhang Weili () vs. Rose Namajunas () – for women’s strawweight title
  • Champ Valentina Shevchenko () vs. Jessica Andrade () – for women’s flyweight title
  • Uriah Hall () vs. Chris Weidman ()
  • Jimmy Crute () vs. Anthony Smith ()

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Randy Brown () vs. Alex Oliveira ()
  • Dwight Grant () vs. Stefan Sekulic ()
  • Brendan Allen () vs. Karl Roberson ()
  • Tristan Connelly () vs. Pat Sabatini ()

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)

  • Danaa Batgerel () vs. Kevin Natividad ()
  • Kazula Vargas () vs. Rong Zhu ()
  • Qileng Aori () vs. Jeffrey Molina ()
  • Ariane Carnelossi () vs. Na Liang ()

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Rose Namajunas on reclaiming UFC title: ‘When I do my best, I am the best’

Former women’s strawweight champion Rose Namajunas is out to reclaim the title against current champ Zhang Weili at UFC 261.

[autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag] is out to get what once was hers.

The former UFC strawweight champion wants to dethrone current titleholder Zhang Weili and reclaim the 115-pound title. Namajunas (9-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) takes on Weili (21-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC 261, which takes place Saturday at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

“It would mean that I’m right in what I believe, and that when I do my best, I am the best,” Namajunas told reporters at the UFC 261 pre-fight news conference. “It means if God wants me to be the champion, I’ll be the champion.”

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Namajunas respects Zhang’s game, but is not intimidated by the champion’s punching power.

“I think she has a lot of submission finishes in her early fights, so yes, she’s very well-rounded,” Namajunas said. “All it matters is that how it’s (Zhang’s punching power) going to be compared to me and I hit really hard.”

Check out Namajunas and Weili’s comments to the media in the video above.

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Kamaru Usman says Jorge Masvidal rematch not personal, but plans to ‘break his will’ at UFC 261

When UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman says his second fight with Jorge Masvidal isn’t personal, he sounds almost believable. Almost.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – When UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] says his second fight with [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] isn’t personal, he sounds almost believable.

Almost.

With three successful title defenses to his name, Usman has had two full years as champion to learn the role. Everyone that steps into the cage is going to have something to say, a reason why they deserve to possess the belt rather than you. No matter the pre-fight rhetoric, the job remains the same.

“It’s not personal at all,” Usman told MMA Junkie at Thursday’s UFC 261 pre-fight news conference. “If he’s making it personal, that’s on him. For me, it’s not personal. It’s all about business, and he’s that next guy that I’ve picked.”

Usman (18-1 MMA, 13-0 UFC) and Masvidal (35-14 MMA, 12-7 UFC) headlines Saturday’s UFC 261 event, which takes place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

The contest serves as a rematch of their July 2020 meeting, which Usman won comfortably via decision after Masvidal took the contest on just one week’s notice.

While Masvidal hasn’t fought since, Usman was willing to grant him a rematch. Masvidal’s status as a bona fide superstar of the sport likely factored into that decision, though Usman has said it’s simply because he doesn’t want “Gamebred” to have any of the excuses that were built into the first result, which was certainly contested under extraordinary circumstances on “UFC Fight Island.”

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But fight No. 2 is taking place in Florida, Masvidal’s backyard, and with a live crowd of 15,000 in the building – the first such opportunity for UFC fans in some 13 months. At Thursday’s pre-fight news conference, Usman got his share of heckling from the crowd, which applauded every work that came out of Masvidal’s mouth.

While he did his best to stay calm, cool and collected – Usman did get heated the more Masvidal spoke.

“Let’s just be honest here,” Usman said to Masvidal. “You’ve got 14 losses in your career, seven in the UFC. You’re 3-3 in your last six. You are sitting there today because I chose you.”

It’s a fair statement, but Masvidal certainly will be no pushover, even if he is hand-picked. Usman knows that, and under the tutelage of noted mind Trevor Wittman, he will certainly have a plan to deal damage while keeping himself safe.

After all, the real goal is to talk away with a belt still wrapped around your waist – an accomplishment that brings significant financial opportunities with it moving forward.

So is it actually personal? It’s difficult to know for sure, but Usman made it clear he’s got some goals in mind during their time in the cage.

“I didn’t feel like I broke his will (in the first fight), and on Saturday night, once I break his will, absolutely, I’ll be satisfied,” Usman said.

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