Masvidal will step up to the plate at short notice and while he is the underdog, he will be determined to make the most of his big moment.
The 35-year-old American star has racked up a trio of consecutive wins over Darren Till, Ben Askren and most recently Nate Diaz – one-time scourge of Conor McGregor.
Usman is the favourite going into their match-up, however. The Nigerian star has won 15 bouts on the bounce including his most recent showdown against Colby Covington.
His last five fights have all gone into the final round, with four of them decided by unanimous decision, meaning fans can expect another gruelling exhibition from the Octagon at the weekend.
Also on the card, Max Holloway is out for revenge against Alexander Volkanovski after losing his UFC Featherweight Championship belt to the Australian in December 2019.
Jessica Andrade v Rose Namajunas, Amanda Ribas v Paige VanZant and Petr Yan v Jose Aldo are also among the main event showdowns to take place on Fight Island.
RadioTimes.com has rounded up everything you need to know about how to watch UFC 251 on TV and online.
What is the UFC 251 start time?
TV coverage of the UFC 251 main card will start at 3am (UK time) in the early hours of Sunday 12th July 2020.
The preliminary card will be broadcast from 1am (UK time).
What channel is UFC 251 on in the UK?
UFC 251 will be shown live on BT Sport 1.
There are multiple ways to get BT Sport. If you already have BT Broadband, you can add BT TV and Sport to your existing contract from just £15.00 per month. You can add the ‘Big Sport’ package for £40 per month which includes all BT Sport and 11 Sky Sports channels via a NOW TV pass.
Live stream UFC 251 online
You can watch UFC 250 with a BT Sport monthly pass without signing up to a contract.
Regular subscribers can also stream matches via the BT Sport website or BT Sport app on a variety of devices including laptops, smartphones and tablets.
How to watch UFC 251 in US
US fans can watch the event live in the US via ESPN+.
On its own, EPSN+ costs $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year. You can purchase UFC 251 only for $64.99 or combine it with a ESPN+ annual subscription for $84.99, an over 25% saving.
Looking for more UFC, we have our how to watch and live stream UFC – full calendar.
Where is UFC 251 held?
The UFC 251 event will be held at the brand new UFC Fight Island facility based on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
UFC 251 fight card
Main card
- Kamaru Usman (c) v Jorge Masvidal – Welterweight
- Alexander Volkanovski (c) v Max Holloway – Featherweight
- Petr Yan v Jose Aldo – Bantamweight
For the full list, check out our UFC 251 fight card
If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV guide.
