UFC 261
| Company type | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports entertainment |
| Founded | April 24, 2021 |
| Headquarters | Jacksonville , United States |
Area served | United States |
UFC 261: Usman vs. Masvidal 2 represented a mixed martial arts spectacle organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship, taking place on April 24, 2021, at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena located in Jacksonville, Florida, United States.
Background
Originally set to occur in Singapore, the event was shifted due to complications with COVID-19 safety measures. It was initially moved to Las Vegas before being officially scheduled in Jacksonville, Florida, allowing for a full audience capacity of 15,000 attendees. This event marked the UFC's first occasion with maximum venue occupancy since UFC 248 in March 2020. Notably, Jacksonville had previously served as the host city for the UFC's return following the pandemic hiatus in May 2020.
The headline bout was a rematch for the UFC Welterweight Championship featuring reigning champion Kamaru Usman against challenger Jorge Masvidal. Their first encounter occurred at UFC 251, where Usman successfully defended his title by unanimous decision.
The fight card also showcased two other championship contests: a UFC Women's Strawweight Championship clash between titleholder Zhang Weili and former champion Rose Namajunas, alongside a UFC Women's Flyweight Championship match pitting champion Valentina Shevchenko against ex-strawweight champion Jéssica Andrade.
A middleweight rematch between former titleholder Chris Weidman and contender Uriah Hall took place after being postponed from UFC 258 due to Weidman's positive COVID-19 diagnosis.
In the light heavyweight division, Johnny Walker withdrew from his scheduled fight against Jimmy Crute because of injury concerns; he was replaced by former title contender Anthony Smith.
Welterweights Randy Brown and Alex Oliveira, who were originally slated to compete at another event but experienced delays, met in competition at UFC 261.
A bantamweight matchup between Mark Striegl and Johnny Muñoz Jr. was called off after both Striegl and his substitute, Jamey Simmons, withdrew. Consequently, Muñoz was removed from the lineup and planned for participation at a later event.
Bonus awards
The fighters awarded $50,000 bonuses included:
- Fight of the Night: Jeff Molina vs. Aori Qileng
- Performance of the Night: Kamaru Usman and Rose Namajunas