The UFC 251 main event is back but will look a little bit different. Jorge Masvidal and current welterweight champion Kamaru Usman have reportedly agreed to terms for a championship fight at UFC 251 on Saturday, July 11. Masvidal will be taking the fight on short notice after original challenger Gilbert Burns was forced to withdraw after testing positive for COVID-19.
Despite coming to an agreement, there's still no guarantee the fight will happen. Both fighters must now fly into Las Vegas, take a coronavirus test, and quarantine while awaiting the results. If they pass the test, they will then fly to Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, the location of UFC's highly touted fight island.
Masvidal took and passed a coronavirus antibody test Saturday afternoon, which shows whether an individual has been exposed to the virus in the past; however, it doesn't reveal if a person currently has the virus. In total, all fighters competing at UFC 251 will have to pass three more coronavirus tests before Saturday night's event.
Masvidal had long been the peoples' choice to fight Kamaru Usman for the title but contract talks between him and the UFC fell apart. The UFC ultimately decided to walk away from negotiations with Gamebred, who believed he was being underpaid and aired his frustration on social media, and instead gave the fight to the surging Gilbert Burns, winner of six-straight fights with recent victories over former champion Tyron Woodley and Demian Maia.
UFC president Dana White has already started hyping the highly anticipated showdown between Usman and Masvidal with a sizzle reel shared on social media.
While Jorge Masvidal has not yet posted anything to his own social media accounts regarding the fight, welterweight champion Kamaru Usman taunted his possible opponent, writing: "Might be time for the Pig to squeal." UFC 251 is scheduled for Saturday, July 11.