Volkanovski took the title off of Holloway in a split decision at UFC 245 in December using an incredible gameplan, but he'll have to do it once more against one of the toughest guys at 145 pounds of all time in Holloway. In the main event, welterweight champion Kamaru Usman puts his title on the line against fan-favorite Jorge Masvidal. In the main event, Jorge Masvidal steps in to face welterweight champion Kamaru Usman on six days' notice. @GamebredFighter gave us arguably the most iconic KO of all-time!#InAbuDhabi@VisitAbuDhabi#UFC251pic.twitter.com/qkvIY5Y40k, Like us on Facebook to see similar stories, What you need to know about coronavirus on Monday, October 19, Walmart Was Just Rated the Top Grocery Store for This Service. Now, Masvidal (35-13) has stepped in to fight the champ on less than one week's notice. Below is all the information you need to catch the UFC 251 event on Saturday night. Ribas rocks Dern, then takes her down here in round 1! Covering the impact of coronavirus on the sports world. Yan is on a nine-fight winning streak, including six UFC victories. Campbell on why Masvidal will win: Let's get this out of the way: Stylistically, this fight is a nightmare for Masvidal given Usman's incredible wrestling game and ability to ragdoll opponents for five rounds. Then KABOOM! This should be a good one, but Volkanovski should be able to pile up enough rounds to take the decision. Volkanovski controlled distance against the longer Holloway and stifled him with leg kicks. Check out the results and highlights from the UFC 251 early prelims, including Marcin Tybura earning a nod over Maxim Grishin, and Davey Grant knocking out Martin Day. Opening up the event, Davey Grant scored a wicked third-round knockout on Martin Day. The champ is riding an 18-fight winning streak, including eight victories in the UFC Octagon. This was a bit of a slog, with Tybura getting his grind on for a large portion of the fight. 10:01. White on infamous Jones story: ‘They don’t test for marijuana’. The restarted and Zhumagulov went hard for a couple takedowns, but Paiva stuffed them all. The featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski's first title defense comes at UFC 251, one of three title fights on the card. But Usman is a handful with a full camp. Namajunas has not fought since the May 2019 loss to Andrade. Muslim Salikhov -130 vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos +110, welterweights: On a fight card loaded with great matchups, Salikhov (16-2) vs. dos Santos (22-6) has some sneaky potential to end up winning Fight of the Night. Usman also has the ability to be a relentless grinder, and knowing the situation, I fully expect him to wear Masvidal down in the early rounds, forcing him to wrestle and work every second before taking the fight over late and probably scoring a stoppage. Grant kept throwing, but he was much more wild with his technique, which was leaving him exposed to counters. Usman showed a great chin and heart, improved striking and big power against Covington. A finish can change everything... Re-live Andrade and Namajunas' first matchup.#InAbuDhabi@VisitAbuDhabi#UFC251pic.twitter.com/3mrZ2Ha6kg. Zhumagulov did hit a takedown at the end of the round, but it was short-lived. Her two most recent showings were decision wins over Mackenzie Dern and Randa Markos, both high-value wins in the flyweight division. Who will win Usman vs. Masvidal, and how exactly will each fight end? In Australia, the early prelims and prelims are on UFC Fight Pass and ESPN, and the PPV main card, at 12 p.m./10 a.m. AEST/AWST (Sunday), is on Main Event and Fetch TV, plus UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass. But Masvidal is a fighter who has long thrived in the midst of chaos, which Saturday's fight offers in droves. He is 8-2 since 2015, with three Fight of the Night performances in that stretch. There weren’t a ton of wow-moments in this one, but Paiva commanded the center of the Octagon and did enough to get the victory. Dollaway early in Round 1 at Rizin 20 #UFC251pic.twitter.com/ZvFUq5t3Ey. Oezdemir (17-4) is a former world title challenger, losing by knockout to then-light heavyweight champ Daniel Cormier. Sat, ... UFC 251: Fight By Fight. © 2004-2020 CBS Interactive. Plus, Petr Yan and Jose Aldo will clash for the vacant bantamweight title. Most notably, a featherweight title rematch between Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway in the co-main event. Plus a few former champions and rising prospects looking to get some shine. Oezdemir's finishing ability should not be overlooked as he has finished in 13 of his 17 career victories. It's not that Aldo doesn't yield the kind of power that could see him walk away with the bantamweight title. Now, here's a look at the UFC 251 main fight card and betting odds via William Hill Sportsbook. Zhumagulov kept searching for the takedown in the second round, but Paiva was hip to it. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. After a bit of confusion, the fight restarted against the fence. One man would land one strikes, and then the other. ‘The Korean Zombie’ has no idea how he was still standing against Brian Ortega at UFC Fight Night 180. Former two-division champ Henry Cejudo dropped the 135-pound strap when he announced his retirement from the sport in May at just 33 years old. The first of four UFC cards from Fight Island -- Yas Island in Abu Dhabi -- goes down this Saturday with UFC 251, a massive card topped by three title fights. Volkanovski does a wonderful job of using feints and leg kicks to throw off an opponent's rhythm. Also o the early prelims, Karol Rosa picked up a dominant decision win over Vanessa Melo. It’s going to be a great record, this is like Mayweather in MMA. All Rights Reserved. The Korean Zombie including fighter profiles, schedule, and where to watch. A former rugby player, Volkanovski packs big power in his strikes and managed to outstrike the talented Holloway in the first meeting despite giving up five inches in height. In December, Yan picked up a victory over the biggest name he has faced to date, knocking out Urijah Faber in the third round of their UFC 245 clash. Light Heavyweight Bout Volkan "No Time" Oezdemir (17-4-0) vs. Jiri Prochazka (26-3-1) Start Time: This will be the final fight on the prelims card, which begins at 8 p.m. EST. Details about UFC Fight Night: Ortega vs. That fight is backed up by a featherweight title rematch between champ Alexander Volkanovski and former champ Max Holloway and a battle for the vacant bantamweight championship between Jose Aldo and Petr Yan. Brookhouse on why Andrade will win: It's hard to get away from the fact that Namajunas' focus often seems off. See our ethics statement. If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. She has five submission wins in her career and a lone knockout victory. Zhumagulov switched things up by shooting a takedown, but Paiva was able to get right back to his feet. Holloway and Volkanovski go the full 25 for the gold! Rosa dropped a ton of light ground strikes until the bell. Amanda Ribas -800 vs. Paige VanZant +550, women's flyweights: While the attention is on VanZant (8-4), as it often is, Ribas (9-1) is the heavy favorite coming into the fight. Day started the final frame with some aggression, piecing up Grant with his hands.