UFC 261: Kamaru Usman knocks out Jorge Masvidal to cap incredible night in Jacksonville

Namajunas reclaimed the strawweight title to become a two-time champion

In the night’s co-main event, Rose Namajunas reclaimed the UFC women’s strawweight title with a spectacular first-round knockout of Chinese champion Zhang Weili.

Namajunas started confidently as she looked to work her jab in the early exchanges but Weili countered with a few low leg kicks. The 28-year-old then answered with a perfectly timed high kick to the head that dropped Weili, 31, to the canvas.

Namajunas followed her opponent to the mat and connected with a pair of hammerfists, as referee Keith Peterson swiftly moved in to stop the fight with the American becoming a two-time strawweight champion.

“I didn’t see her moving. I wasn’t sure if she was going to come back from that. Just a couple of hammerfists and I felt like that [she] was out,” said Namajunas.

Shevchenko dominates to continue flyweight reign

The first title fight of the night saw women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko continue her dominance of the 125lb division with a second-round TKO finish of top contender and former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade.

Kyrgyzstan’s Shevchenko, 33, finished Brazilian challenger Andrade, 31, with elbows from the crucifix position to register her fifth straight title defence in a fight she completely dominated from start to finish.

Despite being known for her striking, Shevchenko opted instead to use her grappling skills to take Andrade off her feet before finishing her with ground strikes to claim her 21st professional win.

“My plan was to come into the octagon and destroy my opponent. Sorry, Jessica, but that was my plan,” she said.

“I want to say one thing. When my opponents try to figure out what is a weakness of mine, don’t waste your time. There isn’t one.”

Former champion suffers leg injury

Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman’s hopes of a big win ended in just 17 seconds as he suffered a broken leg in his bout with Uriah Hall.

The bout ended immediately after the very first kick of the fight as Weidman threw a powerful leg kick, which was checked by Hall.

The block instantly broke Weidman’s leg in an incident that was eerily similar to an injury sustained by former middleweight champion Anderson Silva in his rematch with Weidman in 2013.

After the fight, Hall paid tribute to Weidman and promised to face him again in the future once he had fully recovered.

“I got nothing but respect for Chris Weidman. He’s truly one of the best,” he said.

“Man, I feel so bad. I hope he’s OK. I with his family well.

“Whatever rank I am in the future, if he gets healthy, I owe him this fight.”