This Week In MMA - UFC 261's Title Fights Live Up To Billing, While Weidman Suffers Horrific Leg Break

Mandatory Credit: Chris Unger - Zuffa LLC

Take a look back on a week in MMA where the majority of the headlines were grabbed by a monumental UFC 261 event in which Kamaru Usman, Rose Namajunas, and Valentina Shevchenko all take home undisputed gold, while the event is marred by a horrific leg break suffered by former middleweight champion, Chris Weidman.

Booked for UFC 261 on June 13th. -- a lightweight showdown between recent UFC 259 feature, Drew Dober, and City Kickboxing standout, Brad Riddell is set to land at the pay-per-view event. 

Forced to withdraw from Bellator 258 on May 7th., surging bantamweight contender, James Gallagher revealed he had suffered a shoulder injury, which resulted in his removal from his high-stakes potential title-eliminator against Patchy Mix. 

Revealing a quite simplistic game plan for her UFC 261 title challenge, Rose Namajunas noted plans to "choke out" Zhang Weili to reclaim the undisputed strawweight championship.

Booked to rematch at UFC Fight Night 190 on June 17th. Marlon Vera will attempt to avenge a prior loss to Davey Grant as they re-run their February 2016 unanimous decision clash at UFC Fight Night London. 

Headlining a UFC Fight Night event on June 5th. -- heavyweights clash as knockout artists, Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Augusto Sakai draw each other. 

Claiming that "the baddest b*tch on the planet is back" -- former strawweight champion, Joanna Jedrzejczyk outlined a return to the Octagon against the winner of this weekend's 115-pound title clash between past-foes, Weili and Namajunas. 

Laying out plans for Kamaru Usman even beyond UFC 261, promotional president, Dana White claimed that if the reigning champion overcame Jorge Masvidal in their main event rematch, then he would re-run his December 2019 showdown against Colby Covington.

Amid the collapse of the proposed European Super League, former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion, Conor McGregor he was floating the idea of purchasing Manchester United. 

Competing just twice under the Bellator banner so far, light heavyweight contender, Corey Anderson has claimed that he's scooped double what he's earned in those two outings than in did in fifteen outings with the UFC.

Former UFC and Strikeforce bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey announced that her and her partner, former UFC heavyweight contender, Travis Browne are expecting the birth of their first child in September. 

Forced out of a UFC 262 clash with Matt Schnell, one-time flyweight title challenger, Alex Perez revealed he had suffered an injury, with Brazil's Rogerio Bontorin now meeting Schnell on short notice at the event. 

Improving to 3-0 under the ONE Championship banner, former UFC bantamweight contender, John Lineker may have stamped his championship contender status under the Chatri Sityodtong-led organization, scoring a massive KO over Troy Worthen. 

With the promotion expected to move forward with plans to book Francis Ngannou vs. Derrick Lewis II for the undisputed heavyweight championship, the above-mentioned, White claimed that former two-time light heavyweight best, Jon Jones had asked for a guaranteed paycheck of $30 million to fight Ngannou.

Set to return at UFC 263 on June 12th. in a main event, Israel Adesanya will attempt to score the third successful defence of his middleweight championship, drawing Marvin Vettori in a championship rematch. 

Returning to the Vystar Veteran's Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida in front of a sold-out capacity crowd, UFC 261 dully delivered, and then some. 

Of note, and really marring the event in unfortunate circumstances, former middleweight champion, Chris Weidman broke both his right tibia and fibula after seeing a leg kick checked by Uriah Hall just eighteen seconds into their main card rematch. Weidman was immediately transported to a medical facility, where he set to undergo surgery this morning. 

Successfully defending her flyweight championship in dominant fashion, Valentina Shevchenko steamrolled former strawweight best, Jessica Andrade ahead of a brutal second-round finish, slicing the Parana challenger with a series of elbows from the mounted crucifix. 

Becoming the first woman in promotion's history to reclaim the title in the same division she lost it, Rose Namajunas stopped Zhang Weili within the opening two minutes of the opening round with a huge left high-kick, followed by a couple of hammerfists. 

Removing any doubt, Kamaru Usman sprang with a huge, spectacular second-round straight right hand, dropping Jorge Masvidal before lodging his fourth successful defence of the welterweight championship with five brutal hammerfists.