UFC 268 is just days away! UFC braces for the rematch that will decide whether it’s Usman or Covington who claims gold. With two outs to go, let’s recap all of the developments leading up to this event and look ahead at some of what may be in store on Saturday night!.
The “usman vs covington 2 results” is a live blog that will be updated with the latest news and results.
NEW YORK (AP) — During a tense press conference on Thursday, Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington sparred, fuelled by a crowd hungry for drama. During the staredown, Usman pushed Covington, causing the crowd to erupt in laughter.
New York City hasn’t seen a major MMA event in two years, but on Saturday, the big show returns to the city.
In the main event of UFC 268 at Madison Square Garden, Usman defends his UFC welterweight championship against Covington. Usman won via fifth-round TKO at UFC 245 in December 2019, in what is widely regarded as one of the finest championship bouts in UFC history.
On ESPN’s pound-for-pound list, Usman is ranked first. Usman is the No. 1 welterweight in the world, while Covington is No. 3. On Saturday, Usman will aim to cement his reputation as one of the finest 170-pound fighters of all time against Covington, who is attempting to show that Usman’s TKO victory two years ago was a fluke.
A stacked UFC 268 lineup features two championship rematches. Kamaru Usman defends his welterweight championship against Colby Covington for the second bout, while two-time strawweight champion Alistair Overeem defends her crown against Zhang Weili, whom she defeated in April. Justin Gaethje fights Michael Chandler in an important lightweight battle.
UFC 268 is available as a pay-per-view event on ESPN+.
UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2 • Madison Square Garden, New York, Saturday • Prelims: 8 p.m. ET on ESPNEWS/ESPN+ • Early prelims: 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+ • Main card: 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV
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Usman (19-1) has won 14 consecutive fights in the UFC, second only to Anderson Silva (16), who is regarded one of the finest fighters of all time. Usman, who was born in Nigeria and now resides in Florida and trains in Colorado, is coming off a knockout victory over Jorge Masvidal in the second round at UFC 261 in April. Usman, 34, has made four title defenses and is pursuing Georges St-welterweight Pierre’s record of nine wins.
Covington (16-2) has won eight of his previous nine bouts, with Usman being his sole defeat during that time. Covington, who is based in Florida, hasn’t fought since a fifth-round TKO victory over Tyron Woodley in September 2020. Covington, 34, was the interim welterweight champion of the UFC.
Rose Namajunas, the UFC women’s strawweight champion, defends her championship against former champion Zhang Weili in the co-main event. At UFC 261, Namajunas (10-4), a 29-year-old from Colorado, stopped Zhang in the first round with a head kick. Zhang (21-2), the first Chinese woman to win a UFC bout, had her 21-fight winning streak interrupted seven months ago by Namajunas.
In what might be a championship eliminator, former interim UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje battles former Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler. In addition, former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar fights in a bantamweight match against Marlon “Chito” Vera, and Al Iaquinta fights Bobby Green in a fan-favorite lightweight bout.
Follow Brett Okamoto, Marc Raimondi, and Jeff Wagenheim as they discuss the action on ESPN+ PPV, or watch the bouts live on ESPN+.
Al Iaquinta (14-6-1, 9-5 UFC, +155) vs. Bobby Green (14-6-1, 9-5 UFC, +155). (27-12-1, 8-7-1 UFC, -180)
Results:
Middleweight: Chris Curtis (27-8, 1-0 UFC) wins by first-round KO over Phil Hawes (11-3, 3-1 UFC) (Watch this fight on ESPN+)
Curtis fought largely on the regional circuit for the last 12 years, hoping to one day get signed by the UFC. It eventually occurred last month. Curtis has also earned his first UFC win.
The MMA veteran knocked out Hawes at 4:27 of the first round in a fight he had been trailing by a wide margin up until that moment. Curtis snapped off a nice left hook and put Hawes on jelly knees when Hawes came in for a left hand and dropped his other hand. Curtis retaliated with blows on the ground until referee Todd Anderson intervened.
Curtis remarked in his postfight interview, “I wish you guys knew.” “I wish I had been here for the last ten years. I’ve beaten a lot of people, but I’ve never had the opportunity to do so.”
Following a crazy PFL playoff appearance in 2019, Curtis, 34, has won six consecutive games. Curtis declared his retirement after losing in the PFL welterweight quarterfinals against Magomed Magomedkerimov. However, an alternative was required for the semifinals later that night, and Curtis was chosen. Curtis lost his second bout as well, making it one of the fastest retirements in MMA history.
Curtis’ debut is hugeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
November 7, 2021 — Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170)
Curtis, a Las Vegas-based Ohio native, was signed by the UFC on short notice last month to face Hawes, but Hawes refused at the last minute.
Curtis said, “I’m here.” “But I can’t tell you, people. For this, I’ve given up 14 years of my life. My son’s birthdays have passed me by…. And now I get to fight in the UFC for the first time at Madison Square Garden.”
Hawes, a 32-year-old New Jersey native who fights out of Florida, had his seven-fight winning run come to an end. Raimondi’s words
Nassourdine Imavov (11-3, 3-1 UFC) defeated Edmen Shahbazyan (11-3, 4-3 UFC) via TKO in the second round (Watch on ESPN+).
Imavov of France really wanted to take Shahbazyan’s neck home with him, but he had to settle for a TKO.
In the first two rounds, the 25-year-old middleweight tried many times to obtain a guillotine finish against Shahbazyan, but was unable to do so. Imavov climbed to a crucifix position in the last minute of the second round and dropped elbows until referee Keith Peterson halted the bout at 4:42.
After a back-and-forth battle, it was a decisive victory. Shahbazyan, who lost for the third time in a row, started strongly with leg kicks and came close to securing his own guillotine attempt in the second round. Imavov’s grappling, on the other hand, proved to be a step ahead, and he even had some success in boxing matches.
Shahbazyan had a strong start in 2020, but he has since fallen against Derek Brunson, Jack Hermansson, and Imavov. ‘Okamoto’
Ian Garry (8-0, 1-0 UFC) defeats Jordan Williams (9-6, 0-3 UFC) by first-round KO (Watch this bout on ESPN+) Welterweight: Ian Garry (8-0, 1-0 UFC) defeats Jordan Williams (9-6, 0-3 UFC) by first-round KO
Garry’s unbeaten UFC debut was not going well. As the last seconds of the first round ticked off the clock, the 23-year-old Irishman’s face was burned after taking many blows. Then Williams, a 31-year-old Englewood, Colorado native, attempted to finish the round with a last left hand. He didn’t make it.
Garry returned fire and hit all of his targets. He took a step back to dodge the attack and then landed a counter right hand on the button, stopping Williams in his tracks. At 4:59, referee Mike Beltran came in and declared it a knockout.
Following the battle, Garry spoke about becoming a future champion with the bravado of another Irish boxer. Conor McGregor’s most famous phrase, “We’re not here to participate; we’re here to take over,” was repeated by the previous Cage Warriors champion.
From the most difficult first round of his career to a stunning ko with seconds to go in #UFC268 @ufc
November 6, 2021 — Juan Espino El Guapo (@juan espino ofi)
After that, Garry said, “This is the takeover, Part 2.” Wagenheim, Germany
Chris Barnett (22-7, 1-1 UFC) defeated Gian Villante (17-14, 7-11 UFC) via TKO in the second round (Watch on ESPN+).
Chris Barnett defeated Gian Villante with a wheel kick at UFC 268 to score the first knockout of the night. It was the first time a heavyweight has won a bout by way of a wheel kick in UFC history. Zuffa LLC/Jeff Bottari
Barnett is unlikely to win a fitness competition anytime soon, but “Beast Boy” can certainly put up a highlight-reel performance in the cage.
At 2:23 of the second round, Barnett felled Villante with a powerful spinning hook kick to the head, followed by a TKO victory on the ground. As a celebration, Barnett performed a front flip and landed butt first on the canvas. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Barnett is the first UFC heavyweight fighter to win with a spinning kick.
After the bout, Barnett remarked, “My f—-ing heel is killing me.” “My man’s skull is like a cinderblock. Right now, my foot is on fire.”
During that interview, Barnett commended Villante for his last UFC bout, which he won. For the greater part of two rounds leading up to the conclusion, Barnett and Villante were exchanging heavy kicks to the torso and legs. Villante was matching Barnett kick for kick, so Barnett decided to mix it up with something showy.
On Saturday, Barnett, 35, won his first UFC fight. He made his UFC debut in May after 12 years as a pro fighter in numerous disciplines all around the globe. He was born in Spain and now fights out of Florida. Villante, a 36-year-old Long Island native, has lost four consecutive fights, the past three after switching from light heavyweight to heavyweight. Raimondi’s words
Okay, he’s fantastic. #UFC268 I’d want to hang out with him.
November 6, 2021 — Niko Price (@Nikohybridprice)
Dustin Jacoby (16-5-1, 4-2-1 UFC) wins a unanimous decision against John Allan (13-7 1 NC, 0-2 1NC UFC) at light heavyweight (Watch this fight on ESPN+).
Dustin Jacoby, on the left, fought John Allan on short notice and won, improving his UFC record to 4-0-1. Zuffa LLC/Chris Unger
Following a sluggish 15-minute match, Colorado’s Jacoby strolled to an easy victory. The 33-year-old stepped into the fight on short notice, but he made quick work of Allan with punches and front kicks from a distance. Jacoby, on the other hand, seldom threw anything behind the distance blows and never seemed to damage Allan.
Despite his obvious disadvantage, Allan of Curitiba, Brazil, did not seem to have a backup plan or was incapable of executing one. He continued to battle Jacoby from a distance, with just a few offensive successes.
In the UFC, Jacoby is still undefeated. Since joining the promotion last year, he has gone 4-0-1. ‘Okamoto’
Melsik Baghdasaryan (7-1, 2-0 UFC) wins a majority decision against Bruno Souza (10-2, 0-1 UFC) in the men’s featherweight division (Watch this fight on ESPN+).
Melsik Baghdasaryan, left, defeated Bruno Souza to win his sixth consecutive fight and improve to 2-0 in the UFC. Zuffa LLC/Jeff Bottari
These two combatants put in the miles the night before the New York City Marathon, circle each other inside the cage for over 15 minutes. Baghdasaryan was hot on his tail but couldn’t land many kicks, yet his leg kicks and flurry were enough to give him a 29-28 victory on all three scorecards.
It was Baghdasaryan’s eighth victory in a straight, including his previous two in the UFC, for the 29-year-old from Glendale, California. He simply couldn’t seem to get his elusive opponent’s cage cut off.
Souza, a 25-year-old Brazilian fighter based in Los Angeles, had his 10-bout winning run come to an end in a contest in which he avoided major harm but failed to score any points. Wagenheim, Germany
Men’s flyweight: Ode’ Osbourne (10-4, 2-2 UFC) wins a unanimous decision over C.J. Vergara (9-3-1, 0-1 UFC) (Watch this bout on ESPN+).
Ode’ Osbourne won a unanimous decision against C.J. Vergara in the first round of UFC 268. Zuffa LLC/Jeff Bottari
No, Osbourne didn’t exactly finish the battle with a bang. Vergara remained on top until the last bell, hitting ground and pound.
Osbourne, on the other hand, did enough early to win the UFC 268 opening by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). Simply said, in the first and second rounds, Osbourne landed the heavier strikes. He attacked Vergara with some great combinations in the first round, and he followed it in the second, landing a sneaky left hand. In the third, Osbourne began to fatigue with his combinations, and Vergara stole the show with a takedown and top position.
The 29-year-old Osbourne is currently 2-2 in the UFC. Osbourne, who competes out of Milwaukee, is a former member of Dana White’s Contender Series. Vergara, a 30-year-old Texan, was fighting for the first time in the UFC. He was 1.4 pounds underweight on Friday. Raimondi’s words
More to come:
Kamaru Usman (c) (19-1, 14-0 UFC, -310) vs. Colby Covington (16-2, 11-2 UFC, +250) for the welterweight title. Rose Namajunas (c) (11-4, 8-3 UFC, -105) vs. Zhang Weili for the strawweight title (21-2, 5-1 UFC, -115) Frankie Edgar (23-9-1, 18-9-1 UFC, +135) vs. Marlon Vera (Men’s Bantamweight) (17-7-1, 11-6 UFC, -160) Shane Burgos (13-3, 6-3 UFC, -195) vs. Billy Quarantillo (16-3, 4-1 UFC, +165) in men’s featherweight. Justin Gaethje (22-3, 5-3 UFC, -210) vs. Michael Chandler (22-6, 1-1 UFC, +175) at lightweight. Alex Pereira (3-1, 0-0 UFC, -260) vs. Andreas Michailidis (13-4, 1-1 UFC, +210) at middleweight.
(c) denotes the current champion.
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