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Kamaru Usman Odds On Favourite To Beat Jorge Masvidal

Kamaru Usman Odds On Favourite To Beat Jorge Masvidal

The BMF title holder has stepped up at six days notice to face rival Usman for the middleweight title on Fight Island this weekend.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

Kamaru Usman vs Jorge Masvidal is onJorge Masvidal is on, but the bookmakers don't fancy the chances of the UFC middleweight title challenger with just six days to prepare.

At the weekend UFC 251 was hit by the news that middleweight challenger Gilbert Burns had tested positive for Covid-19, meaning he was out of his fight with Usman on Fight Island.

However the card has been saved by Masvidal and now fans are getting the fight they wanted in the first place, and that Gamebred deserved.

However with just six days notice the BMF title holder doesn't have long to prepare, and that's shown in the odds. According to MMA Mania, Usman has been made -325 favourite, which equates to around 3/10, and Masvidal is +250, which is around 3/1.

Masvidal's history against grapplers, of which Usman is one of the best, is another reason, apart from the lack of time to prepare, is one of the reasons he's seen as such a big underdog.

However the 35-year-old has a reputation for beating the odds, especially during his recent run in 2019 that saw him explode into the spotlight and earn him the title shot.

The Miami native was second favourite against Darren Till, +175 to -245 and Ben Askren, +170 to - 230, last year and against Donald Cerrone, +140 to -180, in 2017.

Masvidal beat Nate Diaz last year to become BMF champion. Image: PA Images
Masvidal beat Nate Diaz last year to become BMF champion. Image: PA Images

Usman and Masvidal had originally been expected to fight at some point but the challenger ended up in a disagreements with UFC and president Dana White over money.

Fans weren't happy that the promotion seemed to be going with the cheaper option of Burns, who has won his previous six fights, including beating former champion Tyron Woodley in May in his previous fight.

Burns unfortunate positive test for Covid-19 seemed to mean that UFC 251 would go from a three title fight card down to two, with Alexander Volkanovski vs Max Holloway for the featherweight title and Petr Yan vs Jose Aldo for the bantamweight title also on the card.

Usman retained his title against Colby Covington. Image: PA Images
Usman retained his title against Colby Covington. Image: PA Images

However Masvidal has stepped up and when he and Usman tested negative for the virus they were all set to face off, after months of their rivalry being played out outside of the octagon.

Ironically the pair are meeting on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, which was set up by UFC for fighters from outside of America but both are based in the United States.

It stands to be an incredible fight. Will Masvidal overcome the odds yet again? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

To see all of Usman's and Masvidal's fights, subscribe to Fight Pass, where you'll get access to every UFC fight ever, plus behind the scenes exclusives and original content that can't be found anywhere else.

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Topics:ย Fight Island, Jorge Masvidal, UFC News, MMA News, Sports betting, UFC 251, UFC, MMA, Kamaru Usman