When [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] answered the call for the UFC 251 headliner, he had a big weight cut ahead of him.
Masvidal (35-14 MMA, 12-7 UFC) saved the day by stepping in on short notice to face welterweight champion Kamaru Usman (17-1 MMA, 12-0 UFC), but losing a unanimous decision in the July 11 headliner at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, but he had only six days to cut 20 pounds.
There were a few hurdles to overcome for Masvidal, who had to travel to Las Vegas first to get tested for COVID-19, then make his way to “Fight Island.” Circumstances weren’t ideal, but Masvidal had no doubt in his mind that he’d make the weight.
Masvidal is no stranger to strenuous weight cuts, having had to dig deep on numerous occasions to make the lightweight limit. But “Gamebred” has never missed weight in his entire career and wasn’t about to for his first ever UFC title shot, as he successfully made the 170-pound mark at the UFC 251 weigh-ins.
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Things may have not gone Masvidal’s way on the night, but with his addition, the event became that much bigger. The numbers show it, with UFC 251 reportedly selling 1.3 million pay-per-view buys, proving that Masvidal has become one of the biggest draws in the company.
A few weeks after his fight with Usman, Masvidal provided an in-depth look at his weight cut courtesy of his YouTube channel.
Check out the video above.
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