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Kamaru Usman placed on a ‘Fight Island’ masterclass Sunday to retain his Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight world title by grinding down a courageous Jorge Masvidal in Abu Dhabi. “I’m at the top of the mountain and everyone’s looking at me,” declared the 33-year-old Usman after scoring a unanimous factors choice 50-45, 50-45 and 49-46 on the three judges’ playing cards. The Nigerian-American Usman (17-1) appeared the more energizing with Masvidal (35-14) having taken the UFC 251 headline bout at simply six days’ discover when Brazil’s Gilbert Burns (19-3) examined optimistic for COVID-19 and was unable to journey.
The Las Vegas-based UFC pulled off a power-packed schedule with three world title fights to kick off a collection of combined martial arts playing cards.
It helped fulfil supremo Dana White’s imaginative and prescient of a coronavirus-free ‘Fight Island’, one thing he first floated when the pandemic brought on a global shutdown of sport in March.
UFC has decamped to Abu Dhabi’s locked down Yas Island within the United Arab Emirates till the tip of July to isolate fighters from the specter of the COVID-19 and make sure the reveals roll on.
Strict protocols imply athletes and employees are examined twice earlier than leaving for the UAE, and twice once more on arrival, earlier than spending 48 hours in quarantine — measures that caught out Usman’s unique opponent Burns (19-3).
Usman by no means gave the 35-year-old substitute Masvidal the area to land the mixtures for which he’s famous, and he monstered Cuban-American when the motion hit the cage, and the canvas.
“Gamebred (Masvidal) is the biggest, baddest dude out there right now and I had to take him,” mentioned Usman.
“I know a lot of noise was made about him preparing on short notice but all these guys are preparing for one guy and that’s me.
“I’m simply at a degree higher. I’ve extra instruments within the instrument field and once I have to I can pull them out and use them.”
The pair had exchanged heated words via social media in the lead-up to the event -– Masvidal claiming his opponent had “crossed traces” – and they were chipping away at each other in between rounds.
But there were smiles at the end when the judges ruled overwhelmingly in favour of Usman with Masvidal, who was without his coach Mike Brown who had also tested positive for COVID-19, applauding his opponent.
Usman’s 12-0 UFC welterweight record is equalled only by future Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre (26-2).
The headline fight and the two other title fights delivered on the hype that had been built around the “Fight Island” showpiece.
Australian featherweight world champion Alexander Volkanovski (22-1) edged the tightest of split decisions 48-47, 47-48, 48-47 in a thrilling rematch against former champion from Hawaii, Max Holloway (21-6).
Brazil’s former three-time world champion Jose Aldo (28-7) was stopped in the fifth by relentless Russian Petr Yan (15-1) who claimed the vacant bantamweight crown.
The 27-year-old Yan rained in blows on his 33-year-old opponent for three minutes before the referee stepped in to save the veteran.
“Aldo is a legend. I’ve solely respect for him,” said Yan. “It was an excellent knockout. I preferred it.”
Before those title fights came a brutal women’s strawweight rematch between America’s Rose Namajunas (10-4) and the Brazilian Jessica Andrade (20-8).
Andrade had stripped the title from Namajunas in May 2019 by pile-driving her to the canvas for a knockout.
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This time the pair traded blows earlier than the 28-year-old Namajunas, her face bloodied, edged a cut up choice 28-29, 29-28, 29-28.
The 38-year-old Namajunas will now possible get a world title shot towards champion Zhang Weili (21-1) from China, who took the title from Andrade 11 months in the past.
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