Kamaru Usman, Alex Volkanovski retain belts on ‘Fight Island’

Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman took full advantage of a challenger who had accepted the UFC 251 headlining bout on less than a week’s notice.

Usman retained the title with a unanimous-decision victory in the main event of the first card on so-called “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi early Sunday morning.

“I knew he was tough,” Usman said. “I’ve always said minus the trash talk and all the other things that went on, he’s a tough guy. I give him credit for that. He’s always game to fight, but I’m just at a different level. I have so many tools in my toolbox and when I need to pull them out, I do.”

Masvidal gave Usman fits in the first round as he was able to find some space to land strikes and even did damage from his back before getting up from Usman’s lone takedown of the opening five minutes.

Then fatigue started to set in for a fighter who accepted the fight last Saturday and had to cut 22 pounds while flying halfway around the world for the biggest fight of his career.

Usman consistently drove Masvidal against the cage, peppering the challenger with foot stomps, both shots and shoulder strikes to zap his energy before Usman’s takedowns started to come easier.

Usman landed 263 total strikes to just 88 for Masvidal, adding five takedowns and controlling Masvidal in the clinch for 10:06 of the 25 minutes.

“He’s the biggest baddest dude out there right now,” Usman said after the win. “I had to switch gears to prepare for him in six days’ too. I know a lot was made of him taking the fight on short notice, but all these guys are preparing for me all the time. I was preparing for Gilbert Burns.”

It was the 16th straight win for Usman and 12th consecutive victory in the UFC welterweight division to tie the mark set by former champion Georges St. Pierre.

Volkanovski wins

It was one of three title fights on a historic card held inside a “safe zone” on Yas Island.

In the co-main event, Alexander Volkanovski retained the featherweight title with a split-decision victory over former champ Max Holloway.

Holloway found plenty of success early, taking the first two rounds and dropping Volkanovski in the second.

Volkanovski, who beat Holloway in a narrow decision to take the belt in December, rallied to take the final three rounds on two of the cards and retain the title.

“He made it tough for me in the earlier rounds, I didn’t use the kicks as much as I would have liked, but I got the job done,” Volkanovski said. “That’s the main thing. I knew it was two rounds apiece going into that last round. I had to win that last round. I wanted a finish. He went for the finish. Unfortunately, neither of us got it. I won the decision and that’s what counts.”

The Review-Journal scored the bout 48-47 for Holloway.

Yan victorious

Also, Petr Yan knocked down Jose Aldo early in the fifth round and rained punches and elbows down until the referee mercifully stepped in at the 3:24 mark to award Yan the vacant bantamweight title.

Yan won his first six fights in the UFC and expected to challenge Henry Cejudo for the belt later this year until Cejudo vacated the belt and announced his retirement in May.

That left Yan to face Aldo, the longtime featherweight champion who was fighting at 135 pounds for just the second time.

Aldo looked strong early before he was dropped and hit with a body shot that had him grimacing and holding on until the final bell in the first round.

The former champ bounced back in the second round, but Yan’s work to the body started to pay off as the fight wore on and Aldo eventually succumbed to the onslaught.

“That was exactly how we planned it,” Yan said. “We wanted to put pressure on him and make him tired, then start attacking after the third round and that’s exactly what we did.”

Yan has now won 10 straight fights and could be looking at a matchup with top contender Aljamain Sterling unless Cejudo decides to return.

Namajunas beats Andrade

Also on the card, Rose Namajunas avenged a loss from May 2019 with a split-decision victory over Jessica Andrade in a battle of former women’s strawweight champions.

It was the first fight for Namajunas since losing her belt to Andrade when she was knocked out by a slam in their first meeting.

Namajunas banked the first two rounds in the rematch and held on through a wild flurry from Andrade in the final five minutes that shredded Namajunas’ face, but likely set her up for a shot at champion Weili Zhang.

“I was hoping to get that fight before the end of the year, but we’ll see how my nose is doing and go from there,” Namajunas said. “Early on in the fight, I was doing great. Then I think she hit the desperation button and started really unloading. She caught me a couple times, but I just stayed strong.”

Women’s flyweight star Paige VanZant’s contract came to an unceremonious end with a first-round submission loss to Amanda Ribas.

The rising Brazilian star secured a takedown from the clinch and locked in an armbar just 2:21 into the opening round of the first bout on the pay-per-view card.

VanZant, who has appeared on reality shows including “Dancing With the Stars” and has accumulated a massive social media following, is 5-4 in her UFC career with only one of those wins against a fighter with a winning record. The 26-year-old now has a decision to make about whether and where to continue her fighting career with so many options outside the cage.

Ribas, who moved up from strawweight for this bout, is now 4-0 in the UFC.

“Thanks to the UFC for the opportunity to fight here,” she said. “It doesn’t matter who you are. What matters is what you do with your life. I was training in a small city and no one thought I could beat the girl training in the big gym. But I have a big heart. I gave all my energy to come here and do my best.”

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.