Namely, Dana White is the trendsetter of sports once again. At the height of COVID-19, the UFC President was relentless in finding ways to stage fights. Despite the criticism, he never relented. On Saturday, White is going to shame the rest of sports “leadership” again. VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena will be packed with a sellout crowd of 15,000 fans. There is a total of three title bouts on Saturday’s UFC betting Main Card. Of course, the Main Event is the welterweight title bout between Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal. Five Main Card set the stage for action on ESPN+
UFC 261 – Usman vs. Masvidal – Main Card
| Date and Time: | Saturday, April 24, 2021, 10 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville, Florida |
| UFC Fight Night Main Card TV Coverage: | ESPN+ |
Welterweight Title Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Kamaru Usman | -460 |
| Jorge Masvidal | +328 |
Defending champion Kamaru Usman has a sportsbook record of 18 wins and one loss. Counter to that is Jorge Masvidal, with a career offshore bookmaker record of 35 wins and 14 losses.
This matchup is Usman’s fourth title defense. First, Usman defeated Tyron Woodley by a unanimous decision on March 2, 2019, to capture the welterweight title. Subsequently, Usman defeated Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal, and Gilbert Burns.
Last time out for Masvidal was a unanimous decision loss to Kamaru Usman on July 12, 2020. That fight in Abu Dhabi was for Usman’s UFC welterweight title. Previously, Masvidal won three consecutive bouts.
Women’s Strawweight Title Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Zhang Weili | -220 |
| Rose Namajunas | +172 |
Now women’s strawweight champion Zhang Weili brings a career record of 21 wins and one loss. Rose Namajunas is at ten wins and four losses for her MMA career.
Since losing the first fight of her career, Weili is undefeated with 21 consecutive wins. Saturday marks the second defense of her championship. Weili won the strawweight championship with a technical knockout against Jessica Andrade on August 31, 2019.
Last time out for Namajunas was July 12, 2020, in a split decision revenge win over Jessica Andrade. Previously, Andrade beat Namajunas by a knockout slam on May 11, 2019, for the UFC strawweight championship.
Women’s Flyweight Title Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Valentina Shevchenko | -430 |
| Jessica Andrade | +310 |
Defending women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko has 20 wins and three losses for her career. Counter to that is Jessica Andrade at 21 wins and eight losses.
Late on, Shevchenko is riding a six-bout winning streak. Specifically, she has four consecutive title defense wins. Shevchenko is coming off a unanimous decision over Jennifer Maia on November 21, 2020.
Andrade won a past strawweight championship by knockout slam over Rose Namajunas on May 11, 2019. However, she lost the title belt in her next fight against Zhang Weili on August 31, 2019.
Middleweight Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Uriah Hall | -115 |
| Chris Weidman | -115 |
Fashion that Uriah Hall has a career ledger of 17 wins and nine losses. Chris Weidman is at 15 wins and five losses for his career.
Light Heavyweight Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Anthony Smith | +158 |
| Jim Crute | -200 |
Overall, Anthony Smith owns a career record of 34 wins and 16 losses. Jim Crute has a mark of 12 wins and one loss.
UFC 261 SBG Free Picks
Accordingly, Usman commands an expensive price for UFC Betting odds. However, it’s wholly justified. Jorge Masvidal is past his prime and overmatched. Meanwhile, Zhang Weili has the look of a combatant that could reign for years as champion. In turn, Valentina Shevchenko is dominating all comers.
UFC 261 SBG Best Bets: Kamaru Usman, Zhang Weili, Valentina Shevchenko