THE UFC WELCOMED back American fans for their first live event in over a year overnight and three of its greatest fighters — Kamaru Usman, Rose Namajunas and Valentina Shevchenko — rose to the occasion with stunning knockouts at UFC 261 in Jacksonville, Florida.
Nigerian-American welterweight champion Usman knocked American challenger Jorge Masvidal out cold with a thunderous straight right to the chin at 1.02 of the second round in the main event, and warned those gathered –- and other fighters — “I’m still getting better.”
“Jacksonville, Florida. You wanted violence? You’re welcome,” Usman said afterwards as he moved his unbeaten run to 18 fights. “I told everybody… I am pound-for-pound the best fighter on the planet right now.”
The pair had met back in July last year with the 33-year-old Usman overpowering his 36-year-old opponent in the clinch and on the ground and pounding away at will across five rounds.
This time he got straight to the point with a punch that saw Masvidal crumpled to a knockout for the first time in a career that has now taken in 50 fights. Before that moment of magic, though, the night had been all about Namajunas.
The 28-year-old American strawweight challenger seized back the title with a stunning head-kick knockout of Zhang Weili with just one minute and 18 seconds gone in the first round, bringing to an end to the Chinese fighter’s 21-fight winning streak in a flash of pure, poised skill.
“I’m the best,” Namajunas said in the middle of the cage afterwards. “I did it again. I didn’t see her move and I wasn’t sure if she could come back from that. So just a couple of hammer fists and it was out.”
Namajunas won the strawweight crown in 2017 but lost it in 2019 and struggled with her inner demons, and motivation. Last night she was at her brilliant best, even though the fight only lasted just over a minute.
Namajunas was a blur of movement and had the 30-year-old Zhang looking for a low kick when she went high. And it was all over.
The first of the three title fights on the card saw Shevchenko of Kyrgyzstan use her superior strength and a nine-centimetre height advantage to overpower Brazilian challenger Jessica Andrade.
There were five takedowns by the champion in the first round, and one early in the second that gave her top position, and she pounded away to take the TKO with 3.12 on the clock.
That made it seven straight wins for the 33 year old fighter, who somehow still seems to be getting better and, like Usman and Namajunas, looks destined for the UFC Hall of Fame.
“I like to surprise people,” she said afterwards, in the understatement of the night.
Saturday’s fight card inside the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena welcomed American fans to a live UFC event for the first time since Las Vegas last March.
Restrictions on public gatherings due to the global pandemic had forced the UFC to either host fan-free events in the US, or to take up residence inside a restricted “sports hub” in Abu Dhabi.
There were an estimated 15,000 people gathered last night despite the USA’s continued struggles with Covid-19. Local officials had in the hours before the event reported 7,411 new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday, and 53 deaths.
There had been a whiff of controversy in the lead-up to the card when Namajunas referenced the American Cold War anti-communist slogan of “better dead than red” when describing how she was motivating herself before facing the Chinese champion.
Zhang dismissed the notion that she might have taken the words to heart – or had even taken them seriously – and Namajunas attempted to clear the matter up shortly after victory.
“All the stuff in the media was not my intent, to ever personally attack her. It’s just my history and my past and that’s it,” said Namajunas, whose parents had escaped to the US from Soviet-era Lithuania.
“I love all people, all cultures and everybody in the world.”
Absolutely brilliant and seriously underrated player.
Delighted for Chris Henry but at 32 I don’t think his door was being knocked down with offers from elsewhere.
He’s Ulster through and through and gives everything he has on the pitch but surely his best days were pre the heart condition.
@Ian Frizzell. My understanding is that there were at least 3 other clubs after him. At 32 I would not write him off getting back into the Ireland set-up, dedicated and committed on and off the pitch. A bit of good news from the Ulster camp.
Unless there’s a serious amount of injuries he’s not getting back into the Irish side. The competition in the backrow is tough and we have some serious younger players coming through.
Let’s wait and see………
@Chris Mcdonnell:
He won’t get back in but that’s more about age profile than form. He’s been great for us this year. Our pack is a disaster – we have a good eight but, back row especially, the depth is shocking and we’ve had horrible injuries that have all but killed the season.
The difference between Ulster with Henry and Henderson compared with an Ulster with neither is extraordinary.
Completely Chris. No way he would get back unless a mountain of injuries occurred.
Henry still worth the money and his place in the side.
He produces the goods on a regular basis, unlike Roger Wilson, who now only has one gear and that’s reverse
Good to hear but need more back row option’s and a scrumhalf, Hart would have been a good starter but obviously the Munster bench must be more attractive for him.
Why do you think that Racing’s 3rd choice scrum half is good enough to start for Ulster ?
Because Ulster’s first choice is leaving and their second choice isn’t very good?
Because all ulster have is Paul Marshall… Hart would be perfect for them
Marmion?
No argument there.
Shows the ridiculous amount of depth Ireland have in the back-row that a guy like this can’t get a look in. Wouldn’t write him off though. Savage player.
A true gent on and off the pitch
Delighted with the news, a great player and friend who gives his all every time he runs out.