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To the apparent surprise of many, including former American football star Chad Ochocinco, Kamaru Usman picked up a superb KO victory against Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261.
Usman and Masvidal had fought the year prior, with Usman picking up the unanimous decision victory. However, Masvidal took the fight on extremely short notice after Usman's original opponent, Gilbert Burns, dropped out due to Covid protocol.
Masvidal assured Usman and fans of MMA alike that should they fight again, the outcome would be considerably different with a full training camp. That was not the case as Usman landed a straight right in the second round, dropping Masvidal to the floor before finishing the fight with ground and pound.
Thrills and agony for Chad Ochocinco
UFC 261 was the first UFC event with a full pre-fight press conference that included both media and fans in over a year. One surprise appearance was that of Chad Ochocinco. The former New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins player took to the microphone during the presser, asking Masvidal for assurances on whether he should place a bet on the Miami native to win.
Unsurprisingly, Masvidal was quick to encourage Ochocinco to put money on him, stating the following:
"Let's go my brother. Man to man, soul to soul. Let's go man. It's a smart bet."
Ochocinco supposedly had $50,000 on Masvidal to win the rematch, despite him being the betting underdog. He can be seen reacting with visible shock and anger as the upset knockout takes place in front of him.
A Future In Boxing For Chad Ochocinco
Ochocinco himself will be trying his hand at combat sports in the near future. Recent reports have revealed that the former American football player is set to compete on the undercard of the upcoming Logan Paul vs Floyd Mayweather PPV event streamed by Fanimo.
Ochocinco's opponent has not yet been announced. However, he has revealed that he will be going by the nickname 'Sweet Feet.' Early reports from ESPN indicate that the fight will be an exhibition bout, and will go on for four or six rounds for a yet unknown duration.
Ochocinco's participation in this card follows a modern trend of former athletes, reality stars and retired fighters stepping into the boxing ring for exhibition fights. YouTuber Jake Paul recently headlined a PPV event hosted by Triller Fight Club, against former Bellator, ONE Championship and UFC fighter Ben Askren.
