Despite Jon Jones’ initial doubts found in the following story, Thiago Santos proved that he was a worthy opponent when he took the LHW GOAT to the only split decision of his career three years ago. Tonight at UFC Vegas 50, Santos will go up against another dominant light heavyweight in Magomed Ankalaev in the main event.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JUNE 25, 2019, 1:37 PM]
Jon
Jones is no more worried about Thiago Santos’ knockout power than he is that of
his fiancée.
At UFC 239 Jon Jones will defend his light heavyweight championship against the dangerous Thiago Santos. The story leading up to the fight is that the power Santos possesses in his limbs could be the key to someone finally defeating Jon Jones. Though this might be an area of concern for some fans and betters of Jon Jones come July 6, it isn’t to the man himself, who believes that power is universal; execution is not:
“No, I’m not worried about him at all,” Jones said in an appearance on The Ariel Helwani MMA Show on Monday. “I feel like my fiancée’s strong enough to knock me out if I put my hands behind my back and let her punch me right in the chin. A lot of people hit hard. Everybody has the power to knock out anybody. My manager can knock me out if I let him punch me in the face. It’s about being smart enough to land that punch.”
Of course, one glaring difference between Thiago Santos and Jon Jones’s fiancée is that, unlike his fiancée, Santos has 15 wins by knockout. But Jones maintains that it isn’t the heavy hitters like Quinton Jackson, Glover Teixeira, Vitor Belfort he has fought in the past that concern him, it is those who can test his fight psychology:
“Everyone
hits hard,” Jones reiterated. “The fighters that concern me the most are the
intelligent fighters, the guys who can set up those punches or set up a solid
game plan. So I’m not too worried about Thiago. I’ve fought many guys with big
muscles and big knockout power. I started doing that at 23 years old.
“So,
no, I’m not worried about anything. I’ve just got to go out there, have faith
in my abilities, and my team that’s around me, my intelligence towards the
game, and everything else will fall into place.”
Do
you believe Jon Jones should be worried about Thiago Santos’s knockout power?
Eagle FC 46 took place live tonight from the FLXcast Arena in Miami Florida.
The event was headlined by a 165 lbs. bout between former UFC standouts Kevin Lee and Diego Sanchez. In the co-main event, Rizvan Kuniev fought Anthony Hamilton. Also in action was former UFC vet Ray Borg, who took on Ricky Bandejas.
You can catch the highlights from all three bouts below followed by the quick results.
The weigh-ins for UFC Vegas 50: Santos vs. Ankalaev have wrapped up, and we are all clear for the full slate of fights tomorrow.
UFC Vegas 50 takes place from inside the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. All fighters made weight, and below you can find the betting odds and preview of the main card fights along with the final faceoffs.
Thiago Santos (+410) vs. Magomed Ankalaev (-575)
The main event features top-10 light heavyweights Thiago Santos and Magomed Ankalaev going at it, with an opportunity for Santos to prove he’s still in the mix at the top of the division. For Ankalaev, it’s an opportunity to crack into the top 5 and make his biggest statement to the light heavyweight division thus far.
Thiago Santos was successful in his last main event when he defeated Johnny Walker via unanimous decision last October. For Ankalaev, this will be his first time headlining a UFC card. In the MMA News Top 100 Fighters of 2021 list, Santos came in at #50, with Ankalaev being placed nine spots ahead at #41.
Ankalaev has the potential of easily being ranked within the top 20 or higher on our 2022 list, and fights like this demonstrate just where a fighter is at this point in their career ascension.
Meanwhile, Santos can show that he is a proven KO legend and former title challenger for a reason and that he is being disrespected by oddsmakers and anyone else who is considering this fight to be Ankalaev’s coming-out party.
You can check out the face-off for Santos vs. Ankalaev below.
The co-main event will see former title challenger Marlon Moraes facing rising contender Song Yadong. Both fighters are ranked within the top 15 at bantamweight, with Mores at #10 and Yadong ranked at #14. The two are on completely different trajectories, though, with Moraes currently on a three-fight losing streak while the 24-year-old Yadong has won two straight and three of his last four.
Peep the face-off of the co-headliners down below.
Two more ranked fighters coming at you in this featherweight scrap featuring Sodiq Yusuff (#12) and Alex Caceres (#15). Last year, Yusuff did not even know if he would even fight again after a bout with COVID-19, but here he is, ready to bounce back from his first UFC loss to Arnold Allen last April.
To do so, he’ll need to hand “Bruce Leeroy” his first loss since 2019. Caceres is currently on the longest winning streak of his entire MMA career with five straight wins.
On our year-end list last year, Yusuff ranked at #95 while Caceres did not place. Caceres will have an opportunity to show that this sudden surge is not temporary and that he belongs in the conversation with the very best fighters in the world.
Peep the face-offs between these two samurais below.
Roberson will need to guard every limb and stay keen to all of Rountree’s unpredictable attacks. If he gets his hand raised here, that would be his first win since 2019.
Terrance McKinney followed up his record-setting UFC debut with yet another stellar performance in his first-round submission over Fares Ziam just weeks ago at UFC Vegas 49. Riding hot, the 27-year-old lightweight has already set a timeline for when he’ll become UFC champion. But now he’ll meet his largest test in veteran Drew Dober, and he’ll do it on short notice.
Alex Pereira is the new hype train of the middleweight division. That distinction once belonged to Israel Adesanya. Adesanya lived up to the hype and then some, going on to win the UFC middleweight championship and being one of the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet.
If Pereira’s path to the champion is to remain steady, the Brazilian will need to amass a winning streak. After a successful debut against Andreas Michailidis at UFC 268, Pereira now faces his second UFC challenge in the much more experienced, 22-6 Bruno Silva.
After weeks of casual involvement with the pro wrestling promotion All Elite Wrestling, Paige VanZant put pen to paper and officially joined the promotion’s roster during a segment on AEW Dynamite Wednesday.
During the segment, VanZant landed a roundhouse kick to wrestler Tay Conti and then signed the AEW contract. You can check out the tail end of this segment below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7BGvvhYUM8
And if you’re wondering if the contract is “kayfabe,” company president Tony Khan confirmed on Twitter that “12 Gauge” is indeed now a part of the AEW roster.
Paige VanZant will continue working on her pro wrestling skills at Coastal Championship Wrestling in Pompano Beach, Florida, according to Marc Raimondi. She will train under coach David Heath, best known as Gangrel from WWE’s Attitude Era.
There is currently no word on how long the contract is for or whether VanZant will work in a full-time capacity.
VanZant began making appearances in All Elite Wrestling last year along with the start of her BKFC run, where she went 0-2. Since the UFC, VanZant has continued to see financial success, and she is now committed to the colorful world of professional wrestling.
She joins the growing list of UFC fighters to appear on AEW. Notable names such as former UFC champions Vitor Belfort, Junior dos Santos, and Andrei Arlovski have appeared on AEW programming as well. She is the first, however, to formally join the promotion’s roster.
AEW signing notwithstanding, VanZant is still a part of the BKFC roster as well. Company president David Feldman expects the former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model to compete before the end of summer. It is unclear who will be her opponent, but he has already deemed the fight to be a must-win for the 0-2 VanZant.
What are your thoughts on Paige VanZant storming the ring at AEW Dynamite?
Colby Covington is clearly willing to say and do whatever it takes to land a fight against Dustin Poirier despite Poirier’s insistence that the fight won’t happen.
Colby Covington has been setting his sights on a Dustin Poirier fight for several months now, citing Poirier’s past remarks to fight Covington “on sight” as the primary motivation behind the callouts. Covington hasn’t merely floated the idea of a fight against Poirier; he’s taken extremely personal shots at his former American Top Team teammate in the process.
Speaking at the UFC 272 post-fight press conference following his victory over Jorge Masvidal, Covington would once again drag Poirier’s family into their beef, not unlike how he did with Masvidal ahead of their grudge match.
Colby Covington Makes Wild Remark About Dustin Poirier’s Daughter
Some have accused Covington of following Conor McGregor’s playbook in talking about Poirier’s wife and thus lacking originality. Coincidentally, Covington himself would invoke McGregor’s name in his latest round of personal shots at Poirier.
Now, when challenging Poirier to a fight, the irreverent welterweight stated that it is McGregor, not Poirier, who fathered Parker and later stated that McGregor is having sexual relations with Poirier’s wife.
“So I figure I’ll get another tune-up fight with Dustin Poirier, who said it’s on sight,” Covington began. “He weighs more than me. He’s just a bully who cuts a lot of weight. I don’t cut any weight because I know I’m the best in the world and I don’t need to have a weight advantage over anybody. So Dustin, name the site, bring that Jezebel of a wife and bring Conor’s little kid Parker.”
Colby Covington, Getty Images
Though Covington’s comments are as baseless as they are tasteless, the reasoning behind them is likely in reference to Jolie allegedly sending McGregor a direct message request prior to UFC 264. McGregor made frequent references to the DM request before and after his trilogy against Poirier, notoriously taunting his rival and his wife with venom.
Now, Covington isn’t just arguably stealing a page out of McGregor’s playbook but is now including the Irishman in his own when continuing to make crude and inflammatory remarks about Poirier’s family.
Poirier has stated that he will never fight Colby Covington in the UFC. One likely reason for this is that he does not want to reward Covington and his vile remarks with a payday. Still, as evident by these latest remarks, Covington will insist on continuing to up the ante on his trash talk until Poirier joins him and the UFC brass at the negotiating table.
Are these the most objectionable remarks publicly uttered by Colby Covington about another fighter?
There was a surprise knockout during the semi-finals of Brave Combat Federation’s MMA Super Cup tournament.
Thursday morning, a video of an MMA referee getting inadvertently hit by a rolling kick hit social media. The incident occurred during the Ireland vs. Mexico round of fights. The kick appeared to fully connect with the referee, thus sending him down to the canvas.
Fortunately, the ref was able to recover and continued calling the fight.
This is the inaugural edition of Brave CF’s MMA SuperCup tournament. The event is held in association with the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation and is an amateur MMA tournament with fighters from across the globe representing their nations. The tournament includes eight nations in total and is being held from March 9-12.
There are nine fighters per team (seven males and two females), one for each weight class, and three alternates (two males and one female) per team. There are nine fights for each round of the tournament, with every bout consisting of 180-second rounds. There are overtime rounds in the event in a draw. Whichever team has the most wins at the end of the nine fights will advance to the next stage of the tournament.
The prize money for the tournament is as follows:
First Place: $100,000
Second Place: $75,000
Third Place: $50,000
You can view the MMA Super Cup tournament with a subscription to IMMAFTV starting at $6.99. You can learn more about the MMA Super Cup tournament here.
Are you watching the inaugural MMA Super Cup tournament?
Former US president Donald J. Trump has again come to Joe Rogan’s defense.
Joe Rogan recently came under fire for past race-related remarks on his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience. There were two videos, in particular, that went viral after multi-platinum R&B singer India Arie among others shared them on social media.
In one video, Rogan says he was in “Planet of the Apes” when he unexpectedly found himself in an all-black neighborhood while on his way to watch that very movie. The other video is a compilation of Rogan saying the N-word multiple times in various conversations held on his podcast.
Rogan apologized for both videos and was showered with support from the vocal majority of the MMA community, including UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya, who strongly vouched for Rogan. Other figures outside of the sport, such as Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, have spoken out against Rogan.
Donald Trump Defends Joe Rogan Against Racism Accusations
Image Credit: Steven Ryan/Getty Images
During an appearance on the FULL SEND PODCAST, Trump doubled-down on his advice for Rogan to not apologize while also vouching for Rogan not being racist.
“Joe Rogan’s not a racist,” Trump said. “And he’s a very interesting guy that people like listening to. But they’ve been hitting him very hard. I did tell him one thing: stop apologizing. Stop apologizing.”
Trump may not be done with his legacy as president, as he also hinted that he might run in the 2024 US Presidential Election, stating that “people will be very happy” when he was asked if he will run again.
As for Joe Rogan, after sitting out UFC 271 at the peak of this controversy, the iconic commentator returned to the booth for UFC 272: Covington vs. Masvidal last weekend, where Covington and many fans had the opportunity to shower him with support in person.
What are your thoughts on Donald Trump’s support for Joe Rogan?
The UFC 272 headliners have both reacted to Drake’s whopping loss of $275,000 by betting on Jorge Masvidal to defeat Colby Covington.
After The Toronto Raptors won the 2019 NBA championship, it appeared “The Drake Curse” had been lifted. Drake was now free to publicly back athletes without them having to fend off the dreaded curse in addition to competing against their opponents.
Masvidal learned about Drake’s $275K loss and evidently felt bad for his role in it. So “Gamebred” has extended an invitation to Drake to have a dinner on him the next time he’s in Miami.
This time, it is Drake who has the opportunity to splurge on someone else’s budget for once. That budget has become much fatter after Masvidal signed a new deal with the UFC to reportedly become the third highest-paid athlete in UFC history.
Another UFC star who once promised to pay back a backer who lost money betting on him is Nate Diaz, who said he’d pay back a fan who allegedly lost his rent money betting on Diaz. Coincidentally, the fight in question also involved Masvidal in the UFC 244 BMF title fight in 2019 that saw Masvidal defeat Diaz via doctor’s stoppage.
Colby Covington Roasts Drake For Epic Loss
Colby Covington
While Masvidal is hoping to treat Drake to a Miami dinner with the works, the man responsible for the loss, Colby Covington, is only hosting a roast.
When asked at the UFC 272 post-fight press conference if he respects Masvidal as a competitor after their fierce battle, Covington instead shifted gears to Drake’s failed bet.
“Let’s talk about all the money that Drake lost tonight,” Covington began. “He needs to go back to selling those shitty albums to get back the money. He should’ve went to America’s Pick of The Week by MyBookie. I tried to give the people the pick of the week. I’m America’s champ, and I was America’s pick of the week.
“Drake, you suck at sports betting. Go back to your shitty little albums of rapping.”
Drake
Drake’s most recent album, Certified Lover Boy, was released last September and has broken multiple records. Drake also has sold over 170 million albums and is frequently and currently the #1 most streamed music artist on Spotify. The Canadian rapper was also named Billboard Music Awards’ Artist of the Decade.
Nevertheless, Colby Covington is evidently not impressed with Drake’s catalog nor his sports-betting acumen. And as the self-proclaimed “King of Miami,” should Drake arrive in The Magic City to take Masvidal up on his offer, Covington might not be so hospitable should he cross paths with “The 6 God.”
What are your thoughts on Jorge Masvidal’s and Colby Covington’s reactions to Drake’s $275,000 losing bet?
The following story was published on this day two years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Two Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 6, 2020, 4:36 PM]
Headline: Michael Bisping Feels He Would’ve Beaten Israel Adesanya In His Prime
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
Michael Bisping has praise for Israel Adesanya but he believes he would’ve dethroned “The Last Stylebender” in his prime.
Adesanya is set to put his UFC middleweight championship on the line for the first time. Tomorrow night (March 7), Adesanya will collide with Yoel Romero. The 185-pound title bout will serve as the main event of UFC 248 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Bisping Says He’d Beat Adesanya If He Were Still Fighting
One person who knows a thing or two about holding UFC gold is Bisping. The now-retired UFC Hall of Famer is a former middleweight champion himself. Appearing on SiriusXM’s MMA Tonight show, Bisping said he’d beat Adesanya if he were still fighting (h/t BJPenn.com).
“Listen, and here’s the real thing, if I was still fighting, I’d take that belt off him [Israel Adesanya] pretty easily, but I’m not,” Bisping said. “So, listen, I like Adesanya — I’m a massive fan of the guy — he’s a great personality, he’s a great fighter and I’m a fan of Yoel as well, it’s going to be a good one.”
Adesanya is undefeated in his pro MMA career. He has a record of 18-0. “The Last Stylebender” captured the interim UFC middleweight gold against Kelvin Gastelum back in April 2019. He took things one step further with his Oct. 2019 TKO victory over Robert Whittaker to become the undisputed 185-pound king.
Bisping retired after being stopped by Kelvin Gastelum back in Nov. 2017. Earlier that month, Bisping was submitted by Georges St-Pierre, losing the middleweight title in the process. While “The Count” mulled his options such as a trilogy bout with Luke Rockhold, he ultimately decided it was time to move on with his life.
Of course, Bisping isn’t away from the sport of MMA entirely. He serves as a color commentator and analyst for the UFC. He also discusses several hot topics in the world of MMA on his Believe You Me podcast.
You can add Colby Covington and Joe Rogan to the list of names showing their support for Cain Velasquez after his arrest for attempted murder last week.
Last week, Cain Velasquez was charged with attempted murder as well as charges of assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a firearm, shooting at a motor vehicle, and willfully discharging a firearm from a vehicle after he attempted to shoot a man who allegedly molested a relative.
As Velasquez fired rounds at the vehicle carrying his target, Harry Eugene Goularte, he instead shot the man’s stepfather, who is hospitalized but is expected to survive.
When the reason for Velasquez’s alleged attempt at Goularte’s life was revealed, many in the MMA community voiced their support for the former UFC champion. This includes fighters past and present, such as Israel Adesanya, Derek Brunson, and WMMA pioneer Ronda Rousey.
During a recent installment of The Joe RoganExperience podcast, Rogan also spoke up in defense of Velasquez, even describing what he wished the heavyweight legend had done to Goularte instead of shooting at him. (h/t MMA Junkie)
“I mean, my only wish is that he did it with his hands,” Rogan said. “My only wish is that he just ran the car off the road, pulled that guy out of the f*cking car, and beat him to death. F*ck you.”
Colby Covington: ‘Free Cain Velasquez’
Cain Velasquez Mugshot
During the UFC 272 ceremonial weigh-ins and again after his victory over Jorge Masvidal at the pay-per-view, Colby Covington told Joe Rogan how happy he was to see him back to work in the UFC after his recent controversies. By all appearances, that made Covington and Rogan both, as the longtime UFC commentator didn’t miss a beat when back on the job.
Covington has been very vocal in his support for law enforcement and calling people, namely Jorge Masvidal, “criminals.” However, when it comes to Velasquez, it appears the former interim UFC welterweight champion believes this is a special case.
“Let’s talk about Cain Velasquez. Free Cain. What he did, a lot of people wouldn’t have done the same thing, but I respect the shit out of him,” Covington said. “I mean, having your kid be molested, I mean, we talk about that all the time, like we would do that. But he was in that same situation and he actually did it. So free Cain, Cain Velasquez, much respect and love, and I hope you get out soon.”
Reports have not confirmed that the alleged victim was Velasquez’s child. Due to the fact that the alleged victim is a minor, her identity is being withheld. \
Despite Covington’s wishes, Velasquez remains held without bail at Santa Clara County Main Jail. If convicted on the charges, he faces 20 years to life in prison.
Velasquez is set to be arraigned next week, and MMA News will bring you all the latest on that developing story.
Do you agree with Colby Covington’s and Joe Rogan’s support for Cain Velasquez?
Jorge Masvidal is not happy with the official of his UFC 272 main event, Herb Dean.
At UFC 272, Jorge Masvidal took on Colby Covington in a heavily anticipated grudge match. Early in the fight, Covington poked Masvidal in the eye, to which “Gamebred” immediately protested to referee Herb Dean. However, Dean allowed the fight to continue, with Covington able to close the distance while Masvidal complained to the referee and then eventually took Masvidal down and controlled the round.
Masvidal believes that even though this sequence took place very early in the fight, it still had an impact on the outcome because it led to Covington taking him down and draining some of his gas tank. He also said the foul had a lasting impact on his eye, with a pain that lingered even after the bout concluded.
“The eye poke was pretty bad, man. The only thing that’s hurting on me right now is the fuckin’ eye poke,” Masvidal said. “My eye’s still throbbing right now. I’ve had a couple mishaps with Herb Dean. I just don’t get it why he didn’t fix the action. [Covington] threw a punch, missed, and then he immediately just jabbed me in the fuckin’ eyeball. I’m not gonna take nothin’ away (from) him winning the fight because that was just one sequence; it would’ve been cool if he would’ve stopped it there and I would’ve got my fuckin’ breather and then we restart because he poked the shit out of my eye, and it’s still throbbin’ right now. That’s the only thing that’s hurting on me.
“Me and Herb Dean don’t have a clean record as it is. We’ve had a couple mishaps in the past, and shit, man, he’s not my cup of tea when it comes to referring.”
Herb Dean is one of the most experienced referees in the sport of MMA, but he has not been without controversy.
Perhaps the most memorable criticism he’s received came from ex-UFC fighter Dan Hardy, who compiled an entire presentation of Herb Dean’s history of “late stoppages” in his argument explaining why he confronted Dean while serving as a commentator during a UFC broadcast after such a stoppage. And as recently as last November, Hardy made it clear that his view of Dean has not changed.
Dan Hardy & Herb Dean (Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa)
Masvidal is on the same page as Hardy when it comes to Herb Dean. In fact, he believes that anyone who is a fan of the sport can testify that Dean is mistake-prone.
When asked if he was surprised that Dean didn’t deduct a point from Covington when he fouled Masvidal with a groin strike that came after the eye poke, Masvidal doubled down on his low opinion of Dean far beyond this one officiating performance.
“No, I wasn’t surprised at all,” Masvidal responded. “I was just surprised that after the eye poke in the first round that he didn’t just break it up and address it. Like, that position wouldn’t have happened had he not poked me in the eye. So it’s whatever. It’s Herb Dean stuff. Everybody here could—if you’ve seen fighting, you’ve seen Herb Dean have numerous hiccups. I’m not gonna blame the fight on him, but he’s not my cup of tea when it comes to referring.”
Do you agree with Jorge Masvidal’s harsh assessment of Herb Dean as a referee?
Dana White has implied that the winner of Gilbert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 273 is likely next in line for a world title fight.
A bout between Chimaev and Burns had been rumored for several weeks prior to being confirmed by Dana White last week onThe Underground. And yesterday, the UFC officially announced the fight during the UFC 272 broadcast.
Burns and Chimaev will be meeting next month at UFC 273, and from the sounds of it, there could be a lot riding on the fight.
Speaking to reporters during the UFC 272 post-fight press conference, White said that it “makes sense” for the winner of Chimaev and Burns to receive a world title shot.
Burns already had a shot at Kamaru Usman last year at UFC 258, with Usman defeating his ex-teammate via TKO. Meanwhile, Chimaev has already put Usman on notice that he expects to be sharing the Octagon with him in the future.
Chimaev has yet to face even the slightest waft of adversity during his remarkable UFC start, only being hit with one significant strike in four fights. The phenom currently has a professional MMA record of 10-0.
Gilbert Burns is ranked #2 at welterweight and has won seven of his last eight fights. As a welterweight, Burns is 6-1, with each bout taking place in the UFC. The lone loss was the aforementioned one to reigning champion Kamaru Usman at UFC 258 last year.
If the winner does become the #1 contender, that does not necessarily mean they will challenge Kamaru Usman. This is because Usman is expected to defend against Leon Edwards this summer. In fact, should Edwards unseat Usman, the Burns/Chimaev winner may have to wait their turn after a potential Edwards/Usman rematch under this scenario.
That said, if Chimaev does to Gilbert Burns what he’s done to all others put in his path, it seems quite possible that Borz could eat up Edwards’ spot as the next challenger for Usman’s crown.
With Burns/Chimaev now 100% official, the updated UFC 273 lineup is as follows:
Drake now has $275,000 less in his massive bank account.
Hip hop superstar Drake is one of the biggest names in the music industry, with over 170 million records sold worldwide; multiple awards, including the Billboard Music Awards’ Artist of the Decade; and a discography of never-ending hits. All things considered, it’s fair to say that Drizzy Drake is a winner.
However, over the years, he has developed a reputation for having the opposite effect on others, with “The Drake Curse” being known to bite athletes the Canadian rapper has supported. One example of this in MMA is Conor McGregor, who Drake supported prior to the Irishman’s UFC 229 main event against Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018.
Now, instead of just the athletes he supports feeling the effects of “The Drake Curse,” the rapper is getting burned by it as well after betting huge on Jorge Masvidal to defeat Colby Covington at UFC 272.
Drake bet $275K on Masvidal to beat Covington💰#UFC272
Of course, Covington would go on to defeat Masvidal via unanimous decision, ruining Drake’s plans for a big cashout on the underdog. Covington used his wrestling and cardio as his two biggest weapons to defeat his former roommate, delivering “Gamebred” his third consecutive loss.
As for Drake, while it’s safe to say that no man can completely shrug off the loss of $275,000, Drake is in the 1% of the American population who can still sleep peacefully after losing such an enormous sum of money.
Coincidentally, prior to UFC 272, Jorge Masvidal signed a new deal making him the third highest-paid fighter in UFC history just before the PPV. Not only that, but he, unlike Covington, will be receiving PPV points for the event, which is expected to generate big numbers.
So all things considered, maybe Masvidal, like Drake, will be able to sleep sound with the knowledge that he is still winning in life despite Saturday’s setback.
How do you think Drake is reacting to losing $275,000 on a busted bet on Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272?
Colby Covington got the last word in his grudge match against Jorge Masvidal in the main event of UFC 272.
After two years of trash talk and beef, Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal finally settled their rivalry at UFC 272 inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Covington emerged from the war victorious after a hard-fought five rounds that saw him mostly use his wrestling to get the better of his ex-teammate, but he also had some moments on the feet.
You can catch the highlights from the main event below.
If you placed money on a touch of gloves, that wasn’t a wise bet.
Rafael dos Anjos didn’t lose focus with the last-minute change in opponent.
Rafael dos Anjos took on Renato Moicano in the co-main event of UFC 272 from inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
dos Anjos entered this bout coming off a victory over another short-notice opponent in Paul Felder in a Fight of the Night performance in 2020. That bout was his first fight back in the lightweight division since 2016. Moicano entered the fight with a 3-1 record in the lightweight division.
Rafael dos Anjos dominated Renato Moicano throughout the entire fight. He used his wrestling, grappling, and ground-and-pound to make life difficult for Moicano, who stepped in on one week’s notice for this five-round bout. You can catch a glimpse of dos Anjos’ finished artwork below.
Before UFC 235, Tyron Woodley told the world he was better than Kamaru Usman in every department. At UFC 235, Kamaru Usman soundly dominated Tyron Woodley via a unanimous decision victory. After UFC 235, Tyron Woodley still believed he was better than Kamaru Usman in every department.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Three Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 5, 2019, 9:03 AM]
Kamaru Usman proved a lot of doubters wrong this past Saturday at UFC 235, but Tyron Woodley is not one of them.
That is because Tyron Woodley does not believe he was wrong.
In his comments leading up to his welterweight title defense against Kamaru Usman, Tyron Woodley claimed that Usman was not better at him in any aspect of fighting. In spite of losing 50-44, 50-44, 50-45, and in spite of being outstruck 336-60 and outgrappled throughout the contest in all positions, Tyron Woodley still feels the same way about his skill set in comparison to Kamaru Usman and doubled down on the comments he made prior to UFC 235:
“No, I still feel the same way,” Woodley said in a recent appearance on “The Ariel Helwani MMA Show.” “I still feel the same way. And that wasn’t a knock. It’s just reality. It’s just reality that when it comes to the strike game, when it comes to wrestling, when it comes to anything explosive and extravagant, I’m better at those things. I just didn’t do it that night.
“And that doesn’t mean I veer away from what I said. I still mean that, and I still think that when I rematch Kamaru Usman, when I get back the Tyron that was out there in the Octagon, I think we’ll see what I’m saying.”
Unfortunately for Tyron Woodley, Dana White has vocalized that Colby Covington will receive the next world title opportunity. It is not yet known if Tyron Woodley will elect to take another opponent in the meantime or continue to bide his time waiting to role-reverse with Kamaru Usman by proving any doubters of his assessment wrong.
Do you think Tyron Woodley is justified in stating he is better at Kamaru Usman at everything after UFC 235?
The UFC 272 Ceremonial Weigh-Ins have wrapped up, and we have the full preview for tomorrow night’s action-packed pay-per-view below!
Tomorrow night, UFC 272 comes at you live on pay-per-view from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The early preliminary card will begin at 6:00 PM, followed by the ESPN/ESPN+ preliminary card at 8:00 PM, and the pay-per-view starts at 10:00 PM ET.
The main event tomorrow night will feature Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidalfinally settling their rivalry for the world to see. You can catch up on our ColbyCovington archives right here and the Jorge Masvidal archives here to get up to speed on all the dirt dished out ahead of tomorrow’s showdown.
The co-main event will feature Rafael dos Anjos taking on Renato Moicano on short notice. If you missed all the drama leading up to this replacement bout being set, you can get up to speed on our RDA archives here.
Additionally, Bryce Mitchell will take part in the biggest fight of his career when he goes up against elite striker and tested veteran Edson Barboza. Mitchell’s pre-fight rhetoric in many ways overshadowed the intrigue of such a great contest. If you missed all the hoopla surrounding Mitchell’s political views and some of the public reaction to them, you’ll want to do some reading up on our Bryce Mitchell archives here.
Also, aside from the main event, there is another ex-teammate grudge match that may be flying under the radar, that between Mariya Agapova and Maryna Moroz. You can get caught up on the intense background story between these former teammates right here.
The UFC 272 weigh-in results are in, and every single fighter was on target ahead of the Las Vegas pay-per-view.
Tomorrow night, Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal will finally turn talk into violence when they settle their feud once and for all in front of a worldwide audience. Both fighters made weight without issue, as did every other competitor on the card.
That includes co-main eventers Rafael dos Anjos and Renato Moicano, who will be competing in a 160 lbs. catchweight bout in a short-notice bout. It also includes Edson Barboza and Bryce Mitchell, who will take the stage shortly before the two feature bouts of the evening.
UFC 272 is now only one day away, and to help get you even more fired up for the grudge match of the century and all the other fight-night festivities, we’ve got some staff picks for you!
UFC 272 will be available exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view on Saturday, March 5, 2022. The main card begins at 10:00 PM ET, and the ESPN preliminary card kicks off at 8:00 PM. The early preliminary card starts at 6:00 PM.
The main event will feature the heavily anticipated grudge match between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal. In the co-main event, we have a short-notice five-rounder between former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos and Renato Moicano in a 160 lbs. catchweight bout.
Also on the main card, we have UFC veteran Edson Barboza going up against rising contender Bryce Mitchell. Kevin “Big Mouth” Holland will also make his return to the welterweight division against veteran Alex Oliveira. And kicking off the main card will be Sergey Spivak against Greg Hardy.
UFC 272 Staff Predictions
MMA News is the place to be for all the latest UFC 272 updates. I, Harvey Leonard, and Ed Carbajal have provided our picks for you.
Here is the full main card for UFC 272:
Welterweight Bout: Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal
Catchweight Bout: Rafael dos Anjos vs. Renato Moicano
Featherweight Bout: Edson Barboza vs. Bryce Mitchell
Welterweight Bout: Kevin Holland vs. Alex Oliveira
Heavyweight Bout: Sergey Spivak vs. Greg Hardy
Sergey Spivak vs. Greg Hardy
Serghei Spivac, Greg Hardy
Clyde Aidoo: Greg Hardy is 7-4 while Spivak is 13-3. This means not only does Spivak have more experience, but he also has a higher winning percentage. That fact is especially relevant when you consider that Hardy has lost to each of his toughest matchups, including every time he’s gone against someone who has been ranked.
This is a fight where I’m leaning more on data than any X’s and O’s and going with the more proven Spivak over Hardy, who has lost two straight by TKO. Meanwhile, Spivak has won three of his last four. The more I think about it, this is very curious matchmaking and a pretty tall task for the last fight on Hardy’s contract. (Prediction: Sergey Spivak)
Harvey Leonard: A strange main card opener to say the least. Given that we haven’t seen Spivak display one-punch KO power and that Hardy’s deficiencies on the ground are well-known, this one really could be as simple as one takedown being the deciding factor. Hardy will have opportunities to land the finishing blow he needs in the first round. But I think it’s more likely Spivak imposes his wrestling game in the second and either stops a fatigued Hardy on the ground or uses his grappling to secure a decision. (Prediction: Sergey Spivak)
Ed Carbajal: Hardy’s name seems to land him on the main card often, but that usually means he’s facing someone that has the same knockout power he does. Both men are coming off of losses, and Hardy’s last two are by T/KO. Spivak is as well-rounded as they come in this weight class and is the former World Warriors Fighting Championship heavyweight champ, so I think Spivak sends Hardy back to the prelims here. (Prediction: Sergey Spivak)
Consensus: 3-0 Spivak
Kevin Holland vs. Alex Oliveira
Kevin Holland and Alex Oliveira
Clyde Aidoo: Alex Oliveira is probably going to at least sample Holland’s takedown defense and put his jiu-jitsu skills to use, as it’s well known that Holland’s biggest bugaboo during his last two losses was due to wrestling deficiencies. Oliveira may be a proficient grappler, but I don’t think his wrestling skills will be the difference-maker in this bout, though, especially with Holland’s increased focus in this department. I’m expecting Holland to get the better on the feet with his funky striking and maybe even if the fight does hit the mat, Holland proved against Jacare Souza that he can not only survive but get the kill from any position. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Harvey Leonard: Given Holland’s two defeats in 2021, it’s expected Oliveira will employ a grappling-heavy approach. “Cowboy” is certainly well-rounded enough to cause the welterweight newcomer problems. But with a significant height advantage and the smaller stature of Oliveira compared to his recent opponents, Holland will have a much better chance at keeping the fight on the feet and utilizing his reach advantage. While Oliveira has the submission threat to secure a stoppage, I back “Big Mouth” to find his voice again, barring any weight-cut issues. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Ed Carbajal: Holland needs a win here to break the luck he’s been having in the cage; two losses and a no-contest aren’t necessarily great for his career. Oliveira is also in need of a win having lost his last three as well. Someone is going to break their streak, and it could be a coin-toss, but Holland isn’t easy to put away, so I’m leaning towards him. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Consensus: 3-0 Holland
Bryce Mitchell vs. Edson Barboza
Bryce Mitchell, Edson Barboza
Clyde Aidoo: This is a tough one because Edson Barboza was once known as having tremendous takedown defense, but his brutal, wrestling-based beatdowns at the hands of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Kevin Lee raised some questions. However, Khabib and Lee are both tremendous wrestlers on another level than Mitchell, even though Mitchell is an elite submission grappler.
If the fight hits the mat, I think Mitchell has a better chance of getting the submission than Barboza does of getting back up. However, can Mitchell get the veteran down? I’m going to bank on Barboza’s takedown defense holding up against a non-Khabib/Lee opponent in which case Mitchell would be in for either a very long night, or a very sudden blackout. (Prediction: Edson Barboza)
Harvey Leonard: While this will represent Mitchell’s toughest test to date, it will also signify Barboza’s first fight against a high-level grappler in a while. The Brazilian did defeat Makwan Amirkhani, but it’s perhaps a slight red flag that the Finland native was able to drag him down. Nevertheless, Barboza boasts a 78% takedown defense, and Mitchell hasn’t had to impose his largely one-dimensional game against an opponent anywhere near the quality of Barboza to date.
While the edge on the ground lies with “Thug Nasty,” the advantage on the feet is even more overwhelming on the other side. We’ve also seen Barboza’s ability to stop a level change in its tracks, as Beneil Dariush learned first-hand. If Barboza can utilize his classic kicks, keep Mitchell at a distance, and defend against the early takedown attempts, I think this step up in competition will prove too much for the 27-year-old. (Prediction: Edson Barboza)
Ed Carbajal: Justin Gaethje has gone on record to say Barboza was a fighter he tried to emulate and was nervous to fight when they eventually fought. That’s saying a lot here and while Mitchell might be the more popular fighter for UFC fans, Barboza’s experience and skill might be ahead of Mitchell’s. I’m going with Barboza in this one. (Prediction: Edson Barboza)
Consensus: Barboza 3-0
Renato Moicano vs. Rafael dos Anjos
Clyde Aidoo: This fight is probably a bit more competitive than some may think. With dos Anjos being a former champion who is still competing at a very high level and with a bit more meat on his résumé, Moicano might not be the sexy pick here, especially seeing as how he’s taking this fight on short notice. But like dos Anjos, Moicano has only lost to the best of the best. And at lightweight, Moicano has been very impressive, with a 3-1 record, all finishes, and his only loss coming to the lethal Rafael Fiziev.
I’m going to give the edge to dos Anjos because odds are he is more prepared for a five-round fight and has more experience under the bright lights in big-fight situations. (Prediction: Rafael dos Anjos)
Harvey Leonard: It’s always difficult to back someone entering a fight on four days’ notice, especially against an opponent with the experience and quality of RDA. Nevertheless, Moicano is a high-level BJJ black belt and displayed his well-rounded game against Hernandez at UFC 271.While RDA is no Hernandez, I fancy Moicano to make the most of this opportunity. He could also prove harder to prepare for than the initial Fiziev clash.
While the path to beating an elite striker like “Ataman” is clear, the route to victory against Moicano is harder to see, especially for a fighter who isn’t known for finding KOs, which appears to be Moicano’s major weakness. While five rounds on short notice is a concern, I back the younger Brazilian. (Prediction: Renato Moicano)
Ed Carbajal: This newly booked fight is a little different to call. Usually, a short-notice booking favors the prepared fighter, which is dos Anjos in this scenario. However, Moicano was not just sitting around. He just fought at UFC 271 where he won via second-round submission. Still, rushing into a fight after finishing one might mean he is still wearing some of the last camp into this short notice booking, so I think it’s still safe to go with dos Anjos here. (Predictions: Rafael dos Anjos)
Consensus: 2-1 dos Anjos
Jorge Masvidal vs. Colby Covington
Jorge Masvidal, Colby Covington
Clyde Aidoo: I think Colby Covington beats any welterweight alive not named Kamaru Usman or (maybe) Khamzat Chimaev, so my confidence in Covington isn’t a slight on Masvidal but just a high valuation on Covington’s skill set. Masvidal is always live for the KO, but it’s going to take more than a “kneer’s chance” for me to pick against Covington here.
I don’t think any of the emotional build-up will play a role in the fight. Firstly, even Masvidal himself said he won’t approach the fight any differently. And even if he did, that would be more likely to have a negative effect than a positive one, as fighting with emotion is never advised.
If Masvidal doesn’t get this done within two rounds, his chances will fade drastically. Since Covington has only been TKO’d once (where he immediately returned to his feet) and because he is such an elite fighter with very high fight IQ, I think he avoids the KO, which means he drags the fight out. And that is when he will have a very noticeable advantage over his former teammate and bestie. (Prediction: Colby Covington)
Harvey Leonard: As has been pointed out during fight week, this is a striker vs. grappler contest with some added dynamics. Masvidal is the better striker, but Covington has shown he’s no slouch on the feet. Covington is the much better wrestler, but Masvidal has an impressive ability to return to his feet.
“Gamebred” is a fighter who can make things happen, as we saw against Askren. While a finishing blow can’t be ruled out, you’d expect that to be Masvidal’s path to victory. Against an imposing wrestler who has a proven chin, an Askren or Till-esque finish is perhaps unrealistic. With that in mind, the logical pick is Covington across five rounds, providing he sticks to his game plan. (Prediction: Colby Covington)
Ed Carbajal: This match has shadows of UFC 270’s main event where former training partners are facing each other after they parted ways from the gym they once were both members. MMA math does not work like real math, but both men have faced the mighty champion Kamaru Usman and lost. If that’s an indicator of how they’ll do against each other, Covington is the one to pick since he has fared better against the champion. (Prediction: Colby Covington)
Prediction: 3-0 Covington
That’ll do it for our UFC 272 staff picks! What do you think? Do your picks look similar? Let us know in the comments section! Also, you can check out the UFC 271 undercard below.
UFC 272 Preliminary Card (ESPN, ESPN+, 8:00 PM ET
Jamie Mullarkey vs. Jalin Turner
Yan Xiaonan vs. Marina Rodriguez
Nicolae Negumereanu vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu
Mariya Agapova vs. Maryna Moroz
Early Preliminary Card (ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass, 4:00 PM ET)
Brian Kelleher vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
Tim Elliott vs. Tagir Ulanbekov
Erick Gonzalez vs. Devonte Smith
Dustin Jacoby vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
Be sure to keep it right here on MMANews.com tomorrow for all the results, highlights, and updates on UFC 272!
UFC 272 takes place Saturday, March 5, 2022, from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main event will feature an epic grudge match between former best friends Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal. The trash talk has been at a fever pitch this fight week, and it reached a boiling point tonight during the pre-fight press conference.
Below, you can find some of the most memorable moments from today’s UFC 272 pre-fight press conference.
UFC legend Cain Velasquez was arrested Monday for his involvement in a non-fatal shooting in Morgan Hill, California, and now more details behind the charge have been revealed.
NBC Bay Area was the first to report the news of the shooting. The San Jose Police department sent out a tweet providing limited information about the incident. They revealed that the victim was an adult male who was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
Velasquez is currently being held without bail.
Tuesday night, more information became available pertaining to Velasquez’s arrest.
Velasquez allegedly shot at a man, 43-year-old Harry Eugene Goularte, who is accused of molesting a close relative of Velasquez. The incident reportedly took place on the outskirts of San Jose, California, with Velasquez opening fire at a car carrying Goularte, his stepfather, and another passenger.
Goularte was not harmed, but his stepfather was hit by at least one bullet. He is currently hospitalized but is expected to survive.
The following video allegedly contains footage of Velasquez’s high-speed chase of Goularte.
The molestation allegations against Goularte were first reported by Velasquez’s relative last week. The incident is said to have taken place at a daycare center owned by Goularte’s mother. Goularte was charged with a felony count of a lewd and lascivious act with a child under the age of 14.
After being arraigned Friday, the judge granted him a supervised release. Days later, Velasquez allegedly made an attempt at Goularte’s life.
Velasquez was charged with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a firearm, shooting at a motor vehicle, and willfully discharging a firearm from a vehicle. If convicted, he faces 20 years to life.
Velasquez is widely regarded as one of the best heavyweights in UFC history. He is a former UFC heavyweight champion who began his career with a 9-0 record, a run that included wins over Ben Rothwell, Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, and Brock Lesnar, with each win coming by knockout.
Velasquez was never able to remain consistently active through a prolonged stretch of time due to constant health issues. His most recent bout took place in 2019 in a TKO loss to Francis Ngannou. His last fight prior to that was a 2016 victory over Travis Browne.
Velasquez has most recently been active in the world of professional wrestling. After a brief run in the WWE ended in 2020, he returned to AAA, a Mexican Lucha Libre promotion.
MMA News will keep you updated on all the latest information on this developing story.
Colby Covington says he knows why Joanna Jędrzejczyk does not take kindly to him, and it is because he rejected her advances years ago.
Colby Covington and Joanna Jędrzejczyk are two individuals who have very strong, alpha personalities. They aren’t afraid to say what is on their minds, even if it isn’t necessarily the popular thing to say at a given moment.
At one point, another thing they had in common is that they shared the same gym of American Top Team (ATT). Today, Jędrzejczyk continues to train out of ATT, but Covington parted ways with the gym when his feud with Masvidal became unmanageable.
While Covington was still at ATT, he and Jędrzejczyk butted heads, and the two have exchanged some shots since his exit as well.
Covington Claims He Rejected Jędrzejczyk’s Advances
In a recent interview with ESPN, Jorge Masvidal wondered why Covington would be talking trash about a woman at all, especially since there is no chance of the two ever fighting and generating money inside the Octagon.
“No journalist out there can go look at the timeline of events of who started running their mouth first,” Covington began. “I never said nothing to Joanna. I never said nothing to Dustin [Poirier]. They started getting jealous of my success and that I was rising up.
“And they’re such egomaniacs, they didn’t like that someone was next to them in the gym that was on that same level in the UFC. So they started trashing me in the media. ‘Oh, [BLEEP] Colby and his antics! Oh, he’s a piece of [BLEEP] person! Dirtbag, blah, blah!’ OK, yeah, you wanna say things about me? Don’t think I’m not gonna say the truth right back to you.
Joanna Jędrzejczyk
“So of course, I’m gonna come back at “The Boobie Woman” Joanna. You’re talking [BLEEP] about me before I’m getting ready for a title fight. I’ve never said one thing about you. I don’t care about you. You used to send me DMs after training, wanting to flirt with me and go out on dates. Just because I didn’t give you attention, Joanna, don’t get mad at me and talk [BLEEP].”
This is not the first time Covington has made claims about his dating life intertwining with his professional life. Last year, he said that he had sexual relations with UFC strawweight Polyana Viana, a claim the Brazilian described as “revolting.”
Regarding Jędrzejczyk, if Covington is to be believed, then it was him who found the thought of extracurricular activities with a colleague to be “revolting.” Should Covington’s remarks reach “The Boogeywoman,” a response could soon follow.
One thing for certain is that Jędrzejczyk will be cheering on Jorge Masvidal this Saturday when he takes to the Octagon with “ATT on his back” into his grudge match against the man who many team members consider persona non grata around the reputable gym.
What are your thoughts on Colby Covington’s comments about Joanna Jędrzejczyk?
Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal had a heated face-to-face interview leading up to their highly-anticipated UFC 272 grudge match.
Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal have been trash-talking one another for two years now ever since their falling out as former teammates and close friends. Finally, the two had an opportunity to address one another on camera in a virtual face-to-face interview hosted by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith on the Stephen A’s World show on ESPN+.
Below, you can find the major talking points from the contentious segment:
The matter of Colby Covington opting to wear sunglasses
What happened to their friendship?
Masvidal predicts Covington will be without his “fake teeth” on Monday.
Covington calls Masvidal a deadbeat dad and a criminal
Covington is confident heading into the fight because Masvidal is a “bum” who’s been beat up by everybody
Interview then reaches a boiling point, both parties talking over one another for extended stretch
Masvidal not considering losing an option, promises to return to Stephen A’s World after the fight to dish more dirt on Covington
We will all find out who will get the last word when Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal meet this Saturday inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada during the UFC 272 main event.
You can catch the full clip from the face-to-face interview between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal below.
UFC 272 has itself a new co-main event, with Renato Moicano being selected as the replacement for Rafael Fiziev in a fight against Rafael dos Anjos in a catchweight bout.
After Rafael Fiziev contracted COVID-19, the UFC was tasked with finding a replacement opponent for former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos on less than one week’s notice.
Also, Islam Makhachev made headlines when he offered to settle unfinished business with dos Anjos by replacing Fiziev in the co-main. dos Anjos welcomed the idea, but ultimately it was Moicano who was selected, as first reported by MMA Fighting on Tuesday.
Renato Moicano has competed in the UFC’s lightweight division since 2020. He is 3-1 in the division, most recently submitting Alexander Hernandez at UFC 271 last month. Coincidentally, Moicano’s only loss at lightweight was to the aforementioned Rafael Fiziev. Moicano is currently unranked but was once ranked within the top 5 of the featherweight division.
Rafael dos Anjos is a former UFC lightweight champion who last competed in November 2020 in a split-decision victory over Paul Felder. This was dos Anjos’ first fight down at 155 since his 2016 loss to Tony Ferguson. And for his efforts, he and Felder took home Fight of the Night. Will dos Anjos steal the show again with Moicano as his dancing partner?
Though both fighters are active in the lightweight division, the fight will be contested at 160 lbs in a catchweight bout.
With the new UFC 272 co-main event, the updated lineup is as follows:
Main Card (Pay-Per-View, 8:00 PM ET)
Jorge Masvidal vs. Colby Covington
Rafael dos Anjos vs. Renato Moicano
Edson Barboza vs. Bryce Mitchell
Kevin Holland vs. Alex Oliveira
Sergey Spivak vs. Greg Hardy
Preliminary Card (ESPN/ESPN+, 6:00 PM ET)
Jamie Mullarkey vs. Jalin Turner
Yan Xiaonan vs. Marina Rodriguez
Nicolae Negumereanu vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu
Mariya Agapova vs. Maryna Moroz
Early Preliminary Card (ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass, 4:00 PM ET)
Brian Kelleher vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
Tim Elliott vs. Tagir Ulanbekov
Erick Gonzalez vs. Devonte Smith
Dustin Jacoby vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
Who do you think will win at UFC 272: Rafael dos Anjos or Renato Moicano?
As far as Colby Covington is concerned, a title will be on the line at UFC 272 in the main event after all—four of them, in fact.
UFC 272 will feature a rare occasion where the main event will not be a championship bout. Instead, it will feature a grudge match between two former close friends turned sworn enemies, Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal.
However, contrary to what we’ve been told by the UFC and all MMA media members, there actually is a title fight on the docket this Saturday night when Covington and Masvidal meet.
No, it’s not an interim title as champion Kamaru Usman heals up from hand surgery. And no, it isn’t even the BMF title that Masvidal won by defeating Nate Diaz in 2019.
As it happens, there will be not one, not two, not three, but four titles that will be on the line when the grudge match goes down in the T-Mobile Arena. That, of course, is according to Covington himself.
“I have a real title; he has a fake title,” Covington said to TMZ Sports about the BMF title. “I could care less about his title. I have all the titles that matter: the people’s champion, America’s champion, Donald Trump’s favorite fighter, and Miami’s title. So I’m gonna put ’em all on the line (at UFC 272) to show you why I’m the king of Miami.”
Regarding Miami, Masvidal is born and raised in the city while Covington has been a proud resident for over 11 years. Covington has seemingly determined that he’s taken over the city that Masvidal has called home and, in his mind, he is aiming to represent the 305 better than Masvidal ever did this Saturday.
UFC 272 takes place Saturday, March 5, 2022, from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The highly-anticipated showdown between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal will close the show with no title needed—but one-half of the participants has manufactured four of them just in case.
What are your thoughts on Colby Covington’s comments?
