Home » Latest » Boxing and MMA » UFC 251: Jorge Masvidal Post-fight Press Conference

UFC 251: Jorge Masvidal Post-fight Press Conference

1

InfoSearched 124 0 Boxing and MMA

9.6

SaveSavedRemoved 8

Jorge Masvidal addresses the grueling physical toll and tactical shortcomings following his unanimous decision loss to Kamaru Usman at UFC 251.

Following his unanimous decision loss to Kamaru Usman at the Flash Forum in Abu Dhabi, Jorge Masvidal addressed the media to reflect on his UFC 251 title challenge. Masvidal, who accepted the fight on six days’ notice after Gilbert Burns tested positive for COVID-19, struggled to maintain pace against the champion’s grinding, clinch-heavy approach.

• Kamaru Usman retained the welterweight title with unanimous judges’ scores of 50-45, 50-45, and 49-46.
• Masvidal revealed a taxing weight cut, losing 20 pounds in six days to reach the 170-pound limit.
• The challenger credited Usman as the better man while asserting that he possesses the “formula” to win in a future rematch.

The Physical Reality of the Weight Cut

The six-day turnaround forced Masvidal into a brutal weight management phase that he admitted hampered his performance. During the post-fight press conference, Masvidal stated he was “hurting” throughout the experience and described the period as “rough.” While he found moments of success early in the contest, he noted that his “gas tank wasn’t the greatest,” preventing him from sustaining his typical explosive output as the bout moved into the later rounds.

I don’t want to take nothing away from Usman. He was the better man tonight.

Tactical Neutralization

Usman’s strategy centered on pinning Masvidal against the fence and controlling the pace with a grinding, clinch-heavy approach. Masvidal acknowledged that his body stopped reacting as he intended starting in the second round, which allowed Usman to maintain position and neutralize his striking threats. Despite the control time accumulated by the champion, Masvidal highlighted his defensive wrestling, specifically noting that he proved difficult to take down and hold on the ground throughout the 25-minute encounter.

The Road to a Rematch

Despite the lopsided scorecard, Masvidal remained firm in his belief that the outcome would change with a full training camp. He cited the lack of proper preparation as the primary reason for his performance, which he labeled “s—ty” and expressed regret for having “let a lot of people down.” He insisted he still has the “formula” required to defeat Usman and intends to lobby for a rematch where he can prepare for the champion’s specific style without the physical constraints of a 20-pound, six-day cut.

With no future bout currently on the books, Masvidal will now shift his attention toward recovering from the grueling cut and campaigning for a run back against Usman in the welterweight division.