This morning in Jacksonville, Florida, the Ultimate Fighting Championship held the official weigh-ins for their 13-fight UFC 261 mega card. The event offers a championship triple header. Featuring welterweight champion Kamaru Usman once again taking on the challenge of “BMF” champion Jorge Masvidal. Reigning strawweight queen Zhang Weili defending her thrown against former division champion Rose Namajunas. And a women’s flyweight title scrap between second-ranked pound-for-pound talent, and champion, Valentina Shevchenko and one-time 115-pound titleholder Jessica Andrade.
The event kicks off at 5:45 pm ET on UFC Fight Pass, with a quartet of early prelim matchups. The action then switches over to ESPN and ESPN+ for the core preliminary bouts. And lastly, the main card and pay-per-view, starts at 10 pm ET only on ESPN+.
UFC 261: Official scale stats
Unlike the promotions last two events, all 26 fighters on the card made weight. Meaning all 13 bouts,including the three title fights, are set to take place inside the Vystar Veterans Memorial Center tomorrow night. The final weigh-in stats are as follows.
Main card (10 pm ET, ESPN+)
Champ Kamaru Usman (169.5) vs. Jorge Masvidal (170) – welterweight title
Champ Zhang Weili (114.5) vs. Rose Namajunas (114.5) – women’s strawweight title
Champ Valentina Shevchenko (124.5) vs. Jessica Andrade (124.5) – women’s flyweight title
Uriah Hall (185) vs. Chris Weidman (186)
Jimmy Crute (205.5) vs. Anthony Smith (206)
Preliminary card (8 pm ET, ESPN & ESPN+)
Randy Brown (171) vs. Alex Oliveira (171)
Dwight Grant (170) vs. Stefan Sekulic (171)
Brendan Allen (186) vs. Karl Roberson (185)
Tristan Connelly (146) vs. Pat Sabatini (146)
Early preliminary card (5:45 pm ET, UFC Fight Pass)
Danaa Batgerel (136) vs. Kevin Natividad (135.5)
Kazula Vargas (155) vs. Rong Zhu (156)
Qileng Aori (126) vs. Jeffrey Molina (126)
Ariane Carnelossi (115) vs. Na Liang (116)
It’s an elite ladies night at UFC 261
Although much of the coverage focus will be on UFC 261’s main event between Usman and Masvidal, two of the top-three fights on the card feature, arguably, the best bookings that can be made in women’s mixed martial arts. The women’s flyweight and strawweight title bouts include four pound-for-pound ranked competitors, and challengers that have held UFC gold previously. Zhang versus Namajunas and Shevchenko versus Andrade are fights that have the potential to steal the show, and deliver highlight reel content fans will see for years to come. All four-women are elite strikers, gifted grapplers, so pretty much, complete fighters. Both matchups offer everything a fan could ask for, along with championship stakes. It’s fight-fan appointment television.
Worthwhile fight night watches
By having an event with three-title fights, it’s not hard for everything else on the card to get overshadowed. However, there are several bouts well worth your viewing time, and give fans some nice appetizers before the golden entrees at the end of the night.
- Chris Weidman vs. Uriah Hall – Former middleweight king, and original Anderson Silva-slayer, Chris Weidman needs a win to maintain relevancy. He was victorious in his most recent bout in August, however, it was far from a memorable affair. Especially after losing five of his last six, and being knocked out in all of those defeats. On Saturday night, he will be confronted by fellow New Yorker Uriah Hall. A man in the midst of a resurgence, after winning three-straight, and is hoping to improve on his current ninth ranking at middleweight. It’s a battle of relevancy versus resurgence.
- Anthony Smith vs. Jimmy Crute – Speaking of resurgence, Anthony Smith is trying to get where Hall is, but in the light heavyweight division. After two tough losses to current top contender Glover Teixeira, and Aleksandar Rakic to start his 2020, the former 205-pound title contender got back in the win column in November. He’s hoping to continue his climb back to contention by scoring a second-straight win on Australian Jimmy Crute. “The Brute” has been viewed as one of the top prospects in the division since earning a contract on the 2018 season of Dana White’s Contender Series. He is on a two-fight win streak and has finished every opponent inside the Octagon. Both men are known for the finishing abilities, the question is, who gets it first?
- Randy Brown vs. Alex Oliveira – If Alex Oliveira is fighting, then he is a must-watch for consistently being one of the more unpredictable talents in the promotion. The Brazilian “Cowboy” is a wildman who has earned finishes in 78% of his fights. In Randy Brown he gets an opponent also looking for the finish, but a UFC veteran hoping to finally add a major name to the win column of his resume. This one is set-up to have fireworks.
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