With Gilbert Burns testing positive for Covid-19 Kamaru Usman found himself without an opponent, and Holloway vs Volkanovski seemed to be the new main event of UFC 251. Rumors about Jorge Masvidal as a potential replacement for Burns flourished but the probability of this happening seemed small.
However, according to the latest reports from ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, “talks are moving in a positive direction”.
"Barring any last minute hiccups… people are very confident that, in exactly seven days from now, we're going to be seeing one of the most anticipated fights of 2020."@arielhelwani went on @SportsCenter to provide an update on @USMAN84kg and @GamebredFighter at #UFC251 pic.twitter.com/q1FFlXrzKU
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) July 5, 2020
“This morning it seemed like a long shot that this fight would happen,” Helwani told ESPN SportCenter “Now, it seems barring any last minute hiccups … and there are still a few more hurdles that they have to jump over people are very confident that in exactly seven days from now people are going to see one of the most anticipated fights of 2020. A fight that we didn’t think is going to happen, now it seems like maybe UFC’s most bitter feud is actually going to play out.”
According to Helwani, the UFC’s biggest challenge isn’t to negotiate a contract with Masvidal but rather, transfer both fighters safely to Abu Dhabi.
What hurdles? Well, just because a fight gets signed in 2020 doesn’t mean it’s happening.
They’ll have to fly to Vegas in the next day or so, take a COVID test, quarantine, pass the test, fly to Abu Dhabi, take another test upon landing, pass that test, another test Friday, too.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 5, 2020
I see people asking, Why not do the fight in Vegas? Valid question. Simple answer: all this Fight Island marketing is great PR for Abu Dhabi. These events aren’t free. They want the big fights. It would defeat the purpose if the biggest fight of the month isn’t on Yas Island.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 5, 2020
The “fight Island” campaign needs a conclusive product to sell and holding the fight anywhere else isn’t in the plans of the UFC. From Silva vs Maia at UFC 112 to Khabib vs Poirier at UFC 242, the partnership between the UAE and the UFC has been profitable for both sides. The UAE offers a safe location for the UFC but also a considerable amount of money to hold the fights on their soil.
Reports from MMAFighting’s Damon Martin indicate that Jorge Masvidal has been training and would be ready to fight on July 12.
If Jorge Masvidal ends up fighting Kamaru Usman, he definitely has been training recently.
His head coach @mikebrownmma told me last week he had been working with wrestlers like @NoBickal and helping @DustinPoirier get ready for his fight with Dan Hooker.#UFC251
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) July 5, 2020
