UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman appears to be in the best shape of his career heading into his UFC 261 rematch against Jorge Masvidal.
“The Nigerian Nightmare” was able to defeat “Gamebred” last summer on Fight Island to retain his belt in a short-notice fight, and now, they’ll be locking horns again in an absolutely vital fight for the welterweight division.
The contest will also take place in the main event of a show that will mark the return of fans to the arena when they flood into Jacksonville’s VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on April 24.
While some fans are excited to see Masvidal get another shot, it’s safe to say Usman looks ready for the challenge.
“There’s always work to be done… #AndStill”
Usman, who is coming of the back of a dominant win over Gilbert Burns, is widely considered to be the favorite heading into this fight – and there aren’t many folks who would disagree with that.
He’s been so good at the top of the 170-pound rankings that many believe it’s almost time for him to shift up to middleweight. However, he’s already stated that he’d only do so if his friend, UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, decided to commit to a shift up to light heavyweight.
There are a lot of spinning plates in the air and there are also plenty of question marks over what UFC 261 is going to look like. We’re all intrigued to see fans back in arenas after a chaotic year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, but with the virus still raging, there’s every chance it could prove to be a mistake.
For now, all we can do is sit back and wait.
Do you think Kamaru Usman is in the best shape of his career, and do you think he’ll beat Jorge Masvidal again? Let us know in the comments, BJPENN Nation!