As thrill and blood rush through our audiences' veins during the brawl, each MMA fight shines in their own ways, and avid fans of this sport surely attest to it. However, the recent UFC 250 was comparatively lackluster to the stacked lineup that was offered back on UFC 249 on May 9, 2020.
Expectations for UFC 251 that is reported to be held on July 11, 2020, at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE, is on the rise as President Dana White brought up the exotic concept of "Fight Island." As UFC holds its presumably first big pay-per-view event this year, make sure that you are ready with your knowledge of the upcoming lineup as you bet on the UFC fighters.
Main Event: Usman vs. Burns
The talk of the town and UFC's most anticipated fight is flying off the news' headlines as champion Kamaru Usman (16-1 MMA, 11-0 UFC) defends his title against the Brazilian professional MMA grappler Gilbert Burns (19-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) in the Welterweight division.
The champion, Usman, last competed at UFC 245, where he silenced the American Mixed Martial Artist and former UFC Champion, Colby Covington for his first title defense. Usman's last fight was of accurate shots and methodical with his diving right uppercut and front kick, which wilted Covington later on.
On the other hand, Gilbert Burns' last fight has been decided to be the most impressive performance of his career so far. Burns demonstrated his improved striking by dominating the former welterweight champion, Tyron Woodley, for all 25 minutes resulting in a resounding unanimous decision (50-45, 50-44, 50-44).
Although Usman was expected to fight off the No.1 contender, Jorge Masvidal, the doors opened for Burns since Masvidal has been involved in a recent rift with UFC over contract negotiations.
Main Card: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Max Holloway
Before the main event, the cream before the cherry on top, Main Card Prelims UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski vs. Max Holloway fight, is your appetizer. This featherweight title rematch was also tabbed as the headliner for UFC 251 if not for the Usman vs. Burns fight.
Volkanovski and Holloway's rematch cannot wait any longer after Volkanovski's shockingly easy win at the UFC 245 last December 2019. Volkanovski dethroned Holloway of his long reign atop the UFC's featherweight division by a unanimous decision with 48-47, 48-47, and 50-45 scorecard readings.
Holloway's 14-fight win streak was cut short due to their last fight making it the former champion's first loss at 145 pounds since 2013. However, Holloway demands that he gets another chance to reclaim the title after his prolonged stay on top. Meanwhile, Volkanovski might as well gain another huge reputation should Holloway fall for the second time.
Fight for UFC Bantamweight Championship: Jose Aldo vs. Petr Yan
UFC's Bantamweight division was left with no ruler ever since UFC 249, when the former champion, Henry Cejudo, announced his retirement after his match with Dominick Cruz. However, the seat may not be vacant for long. The anticipated third match for UFC 251 is the showdown between Jose Aldo and Petr Yan, wherein one of them will claim the title.
Aldo is ready to claim the title after his loss from UFC 245 with Moraes. The fight with Moraes was a highly-competitive split decision wherein it showcased Aldo's aggressiveness in putting up a fight. He continually pressured Moraes and seemingly quickly shook off his enemy's strikes that made the audience disappointed when he wasn't claimed as the winner.
Meanwhile, Petr Yan is considered one of the most promising young title contenders in the 135-pound division. Yan, a 26-year-old MMA fighter, dominated Urijah Faber last UFC 245 with a Knockout. During his fight, Yan strategically figures out his opponent's timing and range, which made a massive deal in the second and third frames of his last recent match, making him win by K.O.
As Aldo proves his former glory once more with his aggressive fighting, Yan has a strong case wherein he might have been able to challenge the former bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo. Indeed, the bantamweight deserves no less than having both excellent fighters fight for the title.
Women's UFC Flyweight Bout: Amanda Ribas vs. Paige VanZant
One of the pioneers of women's MMA in UFC, PVZ "12 Gauge", is looking to end her contract on a high note as she takes on Amanda Ribas on the upcoming UFC 251.
VanZant (8-4) holds a UFC record of five wins and three losses. Her last fight was last January 2019, wherein she faced Rachael Ostovich submitting her opponent in the second round by armbar submission.
On the other hand, Ribas faced Randa Markos, wherein she put up a show and dominance over Markos from start to finish, making a unanimous decision victory. Ribas' last fight scorecard readings were 30-26, 30-35, and 30-25, which earned her another set of glory.
Takeaway
UFC 251 would surely comparatively shine than the recent UFC 250, with its lineups from Men's division up to the Women's division. As such, if you're in it for betting, then it would be wise to know the fighter's stats and fighting history to share the player's glory.
