For all of those ignoring Jorge Masvidal ahead of Saturday night and UFC 251, think again.
Masvidal steps in on less than a weeks notice – officially – to replace Gilbert Burns. He will challenge Kamaru Usman for the welterweight title from “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi.
However, Masvidal is as old-school of a fighter as there is today.
He is a former street fighter who is always looking to take on the next guy – and more times than not, he wants the bigger, best guy.
Masvidal is a fighters-fighter. He generates interest because of his cool, cocky demeanor, his long hair and his style.
UFC 251: Usman Vs. Masvidal – Super Necessary
Usman showed his abilities in wins over Colby Covington, Tyron Woodley, Demian Maia and others in recent years. But he is taking on a completely different animal in Masvidal.
Looking at Usman’s resume, the closest fighter who resembles something of what Masvidal presents would be maybe Warlley Alves. But even he is far from a Masvidal clone.
This is a completely different animal for Usman, a wrestling standout. Prior to entering into the world of MMA, the 33-year-old shined for Nebraska-Kearney at the NCAA Div. II level, winning a national title his senior year.
But Masvidal has shown an ability to get the better of great wrestlers in the past. Of course he finished Ben Askren in five seconds last year, but also holds wins over Darren Till and Jake Ellenberger.
Jorge Masvidal’s Best UFC Fights
This past November, he took care of Nate Diaz, stopping him after the third round of their five-round battle in New York City.
So while the bettors and odds might be seriously in favor of Usman, remember this is Jorge Masvidal. And when you doubt Jorge Masvidal, you might just be making a serious mistake.
UFC 251 takes place Saturday night on pay-per-view after prelims on ESPN. FightLine at The Mix will have complete coverage of the entire event including quick results and immediately recaps of the main matches and latest news.