- Onlookers shocked
- The crowd ‘should be ashamed’
UFC fans were left raging on Sunday after spectators at UFC 261 booed Kamaru Usman and Zhang Weili in “disgusting” scenes.
The UFC held its first capacity crowd since the COVID-19 pandemic kicked in, welcoming 15,000 fans to VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Florida.
And while most were overjoyed by the return to normalcy, there was some anger after unsavoury scenes.
Usman was booed before, during and after his brutal KO victory over Jorge Masvidal, while Zhang was also booed as she lost to Rose “Thug” Namajunas.
Usman ended the event by winning his 18th-straight bout and retaining his welterweight belt.
He knocked out Masvidal with a right punch to the jaw early in the second round, silencing a pro-Masvidal crowd.
Usman’s knockout victory was his third in his last four fights, further showcasing his impressive versatility and an ability to adjust tactics during bouts.
The former NCAA Division II wrestler had only one knockout victory in his first 10 UFC fights before he stopped Colby Covington, Gilbert Burns and Masvidal with punches in the past 18 months.
But despite the impressive KO, the pro-Masvidal crowd rained down boos on Usman, leaving onlookers shocked.