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UFC 251 was supposed to feature the main event between Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns. However, Burns had to pull out from the fight after he tested positive for COVID-19.
Fortunately, Jorge Masvidal has saved the day for UFC by accepting the title fight against Kamaru Usman on short notice and he deserves a lot of credit for this bold move. However, this is a huge change for both competitors with less than a week remaining for the title fight.
Even though Masvidal has been training for a meaningful period, fighting Kamaru Usman for the title without a full training camp is a huge risk. Similarly, The Nigerian Nightmare has been training for Burns, who is very different from Jorge Masvidal when it comes to the skillsets.
So, this short notice opponent change will surely impact the champion's gameplan for UFC 251.
Is Jorge Masvidal an easier fight for Kamaru Usman?
Despite the short notice, Jorge Masvidal is a threat to Kamaru Usman's title reign. However, The Nigerian Nightmare will be more comfortable fighting someone like Jorge Masvidal.
Masvidal is one of the finest strikers in the division. He has shown incredible striking IQ inside the octagon. He will read the pattern and set the traps to finish off the fights. So, it can be argued that he will have the upper hand if Usman decides to go in a striking battle with him.
However, Kamaru Usman is not going to strike with Jorge Masvidal. He is going to do what he does best, i.e to take Masvidal down and keep him there.
Kamaru Usman's size is a big advantage for him in the welterweight division and he is also a strong wrestler. Though Jorge Masvidal's wrestling defense is criminally underrated, he will not be able to defend Usman's takedown for long.
Masvidal is a scrambler and he will try to get back up once Usman takes the fight to the ground. However, he is going to have a tough time dealing with Usman on the ground.
On the other hand, Usman would have had a more cautious approach against Gilbert Burns. The striking game of Burns is not as good as Masvidal's but he can knock guys out.
However, Burns' ground game would have played a huge role in the Usman's fight. Usman would have been able to take Burns down. However, keeping him on the ground would not have been an easy task for The Nigerian Nightmare. Burns has high level grappling skills and he can be offensive from his back and this will be the biggest difference between Jorge Masvidal and Gilbert Burns.
Though Kamaru Usman would be the favorite in both cases, Jorge Masvidal is a comparatively easier fight for the Welterweight champion.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article belong to the writer and doesn't necessarily represent Sportskeeda's stand.
